Thomas A. Edison said it well: Opportunity is missed by people
because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
I have to go to a networking event tomorrow night. The truth
is,
up and until the event, I dread the thought of going. But once I
get there, meet some really interesting people and feel like I’ve moved
my career forward in even some small way, I always leave the event
feeling great. If you are like me, this is pretty typical.
Networking is such an important part of our professional lives, and the
fact is, we really can’t afford to not do it. So, the question
then, is, how do we do it most effectively?
Thomas A. Edison said it well: Opportunity is missed by people
because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
I have to go to a networking event tomorrow night. The truth
is,
up and until the event, I dread the thought of going. But once I
get there, meet some really interesting people and feel like I’ve moved
my career forward in even some small way, I always leave the event
feeling great. If you are like me, this is pretty typical.
Networking is such an important part of our professional lives, and the
fact is, we really can’t afford to not do it. So, the question
then, is, how do we do it most effectively?
Recently people have
asked me about the value of networking in their job search, and have
asked me for a few thoughts on what makes for successful networking
practices. Here are a few rules that I try to live by:
Be curious, Be Interested. Have you ever
walked
up to someone at an event, clearly putting yourself out there,
introduced yourself, and then heard the sound of crickets?
Terrible feeling. Well, at least you made the first move toward a
potential contact and indicated interest. The problem is, there
was no dialog launch point. In networking effectively a simple
rule to live by is that you need to express a clear interest in the
person you are trying to network with. When you express an
interest in someone by asking a question, chances are they will respond
positively and the door to conversation opens. Everyone wants to
talk about themselves – it’s one thing they know a lot about.
Next time you network, try this trick, and you might not hear the
crickets ever again.
Be Motivated. Getting to an event is half the
challenge of effective networking. Put a calendar together
listing a few events that you have a level of interest in
attending. Place a priority on them like you would on any other
business appointment. You might not attend all the events on your
calendar, but even if you attend just one more than you did last month,
you will have made some progress. Still not motivated?
These following truths might make you place a few upcoming networking
events on your iPhone calendar:
- Widening your range of contacts opens you to more opportunities
personally and professionally. Opportunities equal dollars, so
networking can actually put money in your pocket. - If you are looking for a job, you’ll need about 80-100 pairs of
eyes to help you find your next opportunity. Networking is a good
place to start finding eyeballs. - When you have more contacts, you have more resources to help you
solve problems that may arise and make you look like a rock star in the
workplace. - More contacts means having access to more information –
information that you usually can’t find on the web, or through
published materials.
Be Confident. Be fearless in trying new
approaches to your networking strategy if things are not working for
you. Remember the old saying: If you do what you have
always done then you’ll get what you have always got…
Mike Gardner is President-Elect of AMADC, and principal of
Thinkinghire, an executive search and career management firm. He
can be reached at mike@thinkinghire.com