Quo Vadis Opinions

1. Networking is not a one off event.
You can’t simply meet a person once or twice and expect them to refer opportunities your way. You need to join a relevant work related networking group which will enable you to meet up on a regular basis so you can get to know a wider range of contacts.  A relevant group is one that helps you stay up to date in your field of interest, or meet potential stakeholders in your area of interest, e.g. HR managers, leading experts, potential customers etc or develop skills e.g Toastmasters

If you don’t know any relevant groups, you can find many Irish groups on www.Linkedin.com. This can also be useful for making contacts so you are not going in “cold” to an event. You should also have an online profile  on www.linkedin.com

2. Go to meetings regularly
If you don’t attend meetings on a regular basis, then people will not remember you. Initially you should aim to attend every meeting of your group, until you have established good relationships

3. Be active in your group
You need to contribute to your group, e.g. by helping out with the work involved in setting up an event or offering to research a particular topic.  This gives you a good reason to stay in touch with people.

4. Have your “elevator pitch” ready”
This is a short thirty second summary of what you’re doing now and the skills you have when you‘re inevitably asked “And where do you work or what do you do”
You’re effectively selling yourself, without boring people or begging for a job so you need to be concise and positive about yourself.

5. Give to other people.
Networking is not about getting favours from other people. Networking is also about helping other people. A good networker is always sniffing for a way to help because that helps to build relationships. For example I recently helped a colleague deal with a difficult situation. Subsequently I got a phone call from that colleague’s friend which led to a profitable opportunity.

6. We have two ears and one mouth for a reason!
You should listen and talk in the same ratio.

7. Use open ended questions
This shows your interest in the person you’re talking to and also develops your own knowledge.  Unlike close ended questions which encourage yes/no answers, open ended questions allow people to respond in a way that suits them. “So did you find the speeches interesting”, “or what’s it like to work for xx company”

8. You don’t have to be funny and clever.
People who are afraid of networking often think they have to open up a conversation with something really smart or witty. You don’t have to be either of those. Simply by being interested in what the other person has to say demonstrates, you’re a nice person and starts to create a connection.

9. Recognise networking is ongoing.
A new contact is not going to share opportunities with you straight away. You have to get to know them and they have to get to know you.  That’s why the more successful career managers always schedule time in their diaries to meet up with their contacts. They stay in touch with people they like from past employments and work relationships. That way when they do have to ask for a favour the other person is usually happy to oblige.

10. Let people know you’re interested in job opportunities
Finally once you’ve established the relationship, then you can let people know that you’re interested in new career opportunities.

Yes, it takes time and effort to network but it can be very rewarding

Keywords
 career coach
career builder
career coaching
career guidance Ireland

Maybe you think this is wrong. But these days employers are being inundated with CV’s and often don’t want to advertise jobs, because it will bring in a flood of CV’s.  Now days many jobs are being filled discretely though word of mouth. I often get phone calls from employers asking do I know of anybody who could do a particular job.
So being able to develop and maintain a good network of “business friendships” is a critical skill for every career professional. It also helps people to be higher performers.

Over 20 years ago, Bell labs found the key difference between their “star” and “mediocre” performers was that star performers had better relationships. They knew more because they had a wider circle of friends and when they had a problem, they could simply lift up the phone and get an answer. They relied less on the formal power structures and used informal power structures more. So when there was a dispute or conflict they could talk to key people and get a resolution rather than issue memos or run to their boss.
People put time into their friendships, recognising they need to meet up to maintain friendships. We need to do the same for our business relationships. It’s not about “using other people”  it’s about helping each other to be more successful.

So are you putting time into developing your business contacts on a regular basis?

In the next post I’ll give some tips  on developing your networking skills

career coach
career builder
career coaching
career guidance Ireland