Effective Networking

“Networking” is one of those words that strikes terror into the heart of jobseekers and entrepreneurs everywhere. It conjures up images of wandering round a function room trying to offload your business card to as many people as you can, most of whom you are fully aware will bin it either straight away or the next morning. We hate the idea of networking because we think it makes us look pushy, false or just plain desperate. Well – crass attempts to ask people we hardly know for a job will have exactly that effect. But networking – done properly and well – is one of the most important elements of an effective job search strategy. Consider the facts: 80% of jobs are never advertised, and around 60% of executive vacancies are filled through networking. It’s a job-search strategy that works.
So how do you network effectively? Here are our top tips:
· Don’t ask for a job - The most important thing to remember is that networking is NOT about asking people for a job. It IS about asking people for information, advice or assistance. AND it’s as much about asking what you can do for them as what they can do for you.
· Share and share alike - Think of networking as being about gathering and sharing ideas – see yourself as a knowledge resource: the more people you meet, the more information you will have that you can pass around. Make yourself a useful contact to other people. Be prepared to share your information and contacts in return.
· Who do you network with? - Start with people that you know. Not only it is less daunting, but it’s time-effective to build on your existing network rather than try to create a completely new one from scratch. Think you don’t know anybody? What about people you currently work with – or have worked with in the past. Think about the people you socialise with – and their girlfriends/partners/parents/friends. If everyone you know in turn knows just another 10 people, it’s not hard to see how you potentially have access to hundreds – even thousands – of people.
· Identify New Avenues to Pursue - Do try to expand your network to include people whom you wouldn’t ordinarily come into contact with – perhaps from professions, cultures or backgrounds very different from your own. This is a great way of broadening your horizons and helping yourself to think creatively and more imaginatively about your career options.
· Be clear on what you want to achieve - Remember, you are NOT asking your contacts for a job. But you might want to ask them for ideas about career opportunities you haven’t thought of, more information about options that you are already considering, or advice on your CV. And remember to ask every contact if they can in turn put you in touch with two or more further contacts – that’s how you grow your network.
· Meet your contacts face-to-face - It’s much easier to strike up a rapport, you will be much more memorable to them, and they’ll probably give you far more information than they would have done in a telephone call or an email. But only ask for 15 minutes of their time – most people are too busy to give up a 1-hour slot. Chances are, if they agree to 15 minutes, you’ll get the best part of half-an-hour.
· Do research beforehand - Make sure you know as much as possible about the person you are meeting and how they may be able to help you – you want a focused discussion, not just a pleasant but ineffectual chat. People will be impressed if you are well-prepared – and if you’re not, they may feel you are wasting their time as well as your own.
· Follow-up - Follow up all the leads you receive, even if they don’t look too promising in the first instance. Firstly you can never tell how useful someone might be until you speak to them. Nor who they in turn might be able to put you in touch with. Secondly, because if someone has gone to the trouble of giving you a lead or a contact, it’s simply rude not to follow that up. Also make sure that you write – or at least email - to thank the person who has given some of their time to you.
· Set yourself some targets - For example, aim to contact 3 new people every week. Don’t set yourself a target that is unachievable, and don’t confuse quantity with quality. Make sure you give yourself time to prepare properly before you chat with someone, and follow up properly afterwards.
· Keep good records of all contacts - Keep notes about what you talked about, anything you know about them and so on. Don’t kid yourself that you will be able to remember all this information – you won’t! So put in place a good record-keeping system from the outset.
· Be patient - Finally, remember that networking is a long-term strategy, not a short-term fix. Don’t get frustrated if the first person you talk to doesn’t offer you a job on the spot! Put time and effort into building up – and nurturing - your network and it will pay dividends throughout your career.