Your Network is your Net Worth
There is a strong theory that “Your Network is your Net Worth”. Networking and relationships are at the heart of business. What value do you have if you are unable to form lasting and meaningful relationships with clients, colleagues and people in general?
I have already mentioned that half of the battle of networking is simply showing up. Before showing up to any networking event you need to understand why you are going and devise a plan. Robyn Greenspan, editor in chief of Execunet, wrote an excellent article called “Secrets of Master Networkers”. In this article one of the best pieces of advice is know who you are meeting and why. It is impossible to meet everyone in the world, so choose specific events or groups that fit in with your career goals. This is one good reason to find a few professional groups and become and active participating member. Bring your unique personality and experience to the group and become someone who is recognized. It is always a good feeling when you walk into the room and have met 10-15 people already in it. At that point, networking takes on a new level, because you can make introductions between those new and existing contacts which additionally will strengthen the quality of those relationships.
Understand that networking is not about the quantity of contacts but about the quality. You must always network proactively, even when you do not “need something” like a job or new business contact. Ron Bates, principal at Executive Advantage Group (a retained search firm), says in Greenspan’s article “Networking isn’t something you do only when you find you have a need that can only be addressed by networking – that’s ‘needworking’ ”. Do not become a needworker. You definitely need to understand a core principle on networking, as outlined by the book “Monster Careers”, “Everyone is a potential friend, network opportunity, and customer. Unplanned events create unexpected opportunities”. I cannot count the number of times as a professional recruiter that I would reach out to and be spurned by a potential candidate. Those notes would be recorded into my applicant tracking system, and when this person would call a few months later asking for help in the job search, they would not have any. Those contacts never built a relationship of trust with me, so I never placed them with my client companies.
You should maintain a positive relationship with everyone you meet because it is impossible to know who they might know. Good places to start are past colleagues, corporate and agency recruiters, and alumni associations. Use creativity, especially when you are embarking on the job search. Two of my favorite stories come from the Wall St. Journal and illustrate how networking enables people to tap into the “Hidden Job Market”. In one example (Joann S. Lublin article), an executive asked nearly two dozen past and present colleagues to tout his abilities in just one sentence or more. When looking for a job, these recommendations were noticed by other hiring managers and resulted in an offer. Another professional, Eric Olsen, found a job working for the New Jersey Unemployment office after he realized how overworked the employees were during the current recession. He simply asked if he could help out, and was given the job without going through a formal application process!
Using the principal “attitude is everything” develop a positive attitude and do not be afraid to meet others. Informal networking happens in places like sports events, on commuter trains, or even waiting in line at the grocery store. Colleges are stepping up efforts to reach out to alumni and provide support services in addition to hosting other networking events. This requires no additional time to take place, only the ability to reach out to others. If you feel that networking distracts from other activities such as marketing and professional development, you are wrong, because networking is business development and marketing when done properly. It is helpful to note
Additional Resources: (If you wish to study this topic in greater detail!)
• Beckwith, Christine and Beckwith, Harry. You Inc. The Art of Selling Yourself. Business Plus: USA, 2007.
• Greenspan, Robyn, Execunet.com Newsletter.
• Hardy, Doug and Taylor, Jeff. Monster Careers. Penguin Group: USA, 2004.
• Lynch, Liz. Smart Networking. McGraw Hill: New Jersey, 2008.
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Jeffery, I enjoyed reading what you wrote. I always get a charge out of helping people, and I’m a firm believer in “giving before you get.” Thanks for a highly worthwhile post!
Mark
Thanks, Jeffrey, for putting this all together. The most successful people I know have gone beyond “networking” as an activity and adopted a philosophy of being friendly and open to everyone — without regard of what was in it for them.