Make the most of networking
The importance of networking must never be forgotten. To be successful at networking, it is vital to understand how it works and the 'golden' opportunities that could result with a little perseverance and know-how.
Networking
You may think of networking as an outdated and overly-used phenomenon from the Eighties, but it is just as relevant today as it was then. It is the power of networking that builds small businesses into large multinationals. How many positions are not advertised and filled through networking?
The biggest misconception about networking is the phrase 'It's not what you know, it's who you know'. A far better alternative would be, 'It's not who you know, it's who they know!' Networking can be defined as, '...using the personal relationships people have with one and other to increase your exposure to information and opportunity.'
Opportunistic networking
This is the networking approach most commonly used by each and every one of us every day of our lives. If you are in the pub and you start chatting to someone who just happens to be MD of a large multinational corporation, then this could be a handy person to know. But you never went to the pub intending to meet this person.
It is very much something that happens if and when. If you believe in fate, or some higher force guiding you to certain situations, this would be proof that it happens. For those who do not, then it is just a coincidence.
Strategic networking
Strategic networking is the one step beyond opportunistic networking. You create the situation where you will be in the correct circles of contacts who are beneficial for you to meet.
This does not mean finding out which voluntary organisations the MD supports and joining up. Less extreme measures may include going along to social functions or seminars organised by business organisations such as the local Chamber of Commerce.
Or perhaps finding out about the local young businessperson's association (search the internet for details). Sooner or later you will come across people who can help you in some way or other.
How many people do you know? If you narrow that down to just those that you know personally and have more than just a passing relationship with, you are probably already at the 50-person mark. Take this one step further: how many people do they know? If you work along the same lines, then each of the people you know, also knows 50 people. Which means that indirectly, you have access to 2500 people you can use for networking.
You get the picture. Make sure you use the people you already know and their contacts. It will be a lot easier to use existing contacts to generate new contacts rather than starting from scratch.
Guidelines to networking
- Join organisations - let people know who you are and what you can do. Volunteer. Become a resource that people can depend upon. It is by actively participating that others will notice you
- Become a leader - put yourself forward for 'visible' positions and those of authority. These will allow you to demonstrate your current skills, master new ones, meet other important people and move ahead professionally and personally
- Set networking goals - give yourself a list of people that you wish to be introduced to and allocate a timescale to do complete this in. Make sure that you spread your attention evenly among them and do not come on too strong
- Cherrypick - when attending conferences, try to pick out two or three people who you will spend more time with and walk away with useful contacts that know you. Do not go for the 'working the room' tactic as ending up with 20 cards of people who do not know you will be of little help to you in the future
- Be remembered - make sure that every time you get introduced to people you use a 'memory tag'. His is a label that people can use to relate you to an occupation and company such as "Hello, I'm Nick Lewis, regional manager for Lloyds Bank Financial Services". This may seem strange to you at first, but if you are a name and a 'reason' it is easier to remember than a name on its own
- Make time - make sure that you treat your new contacts politely. Try to return all calls within 24 hours
- Use their name - when speaking to them either over the phone or in person, regularly use their name. It has been proven that if your name is dropped into the conversation regularly then you are more likely to listen to the rest of the conversation
- Ask - if you want something, ask for it. What have you to lose? The worst that can happen is they say 'No' but they could say yes. Make sure that the question is specific, such as 'What I really need is a job. Do you know anyone in the HSBC finance department?' rather than ' I need a job, any job!'
- Last of all - make sure that you enjoy networking. Everyone is subconsciously doing it all the time, and you are going to be doing it for the rest of your life in both personal and professional circles. Use the information to help you, as you can be sure that others will use you as a contact to help them too, and think of it as a way of indirectly giving to those who have helped you in the past
