Perhaps one of the most misunderstood and botched activities in career management is networking. Either people don’t do it, they do it wrong, or some combination of those two. Only a small number of savvy careerist “get it!” I’ve rounded up some posts this week that might help you understand this concept better. I believe networking is one of, if not the, most important activities in your career!
FYI: You don’t just network when YOU need something. It must be a long-term strategy- not a job search crisis tool.
Please, define Networking
Bob Burg’s interview in this My Treat blog post sums it up. (By the way, Bob’s book “The Go-Giver” is a great read!
RT @debra_feldman: Outstanding thoughts on #networking by @bobburg via @mytreat Develop Your Army… bit.ly/U5PG8L
— Hannah Morgan (@careersherpa) February 11, 2013
These are the highlights and I hope it entices you to go have a read!
- Defines networking as cultivating mutually beneficial, give and take, win/win relationships
- Networking not just about handing out business cards
- All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like, and trust
- When meeting new people take time to find out about their lives and business
- When following up position yourself as a high quality resource
- Each time you communicate with someone else be thinking “how can i proved value” to them
- Remember, it’s not about you; it’s about them.
Why Aren’t You Networking?
- It takes too much time
- It takes too much effort
- I don’t know how
- It is uncomfortable
- I don’t like meeting new people
- I hate it when I get contacted out of the blue by old acquaintances (really?)
Or one of these Top 8 Excuses you are making for not networking. Please go read this post In Hiring, A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed from the New York Times
“Referred candidates are twice as likely to land an interview as other applicants”
How do you think you become a referred candidate?
Taking Your Networking Online
This post from The Social Freelancer demonstrates the power of online networking and how it translates into “in person” networking. Tracy Ready was just an ordinary guy trying to make a living! He still is, but his life is “richer” because he understands the value of relationships.
The influence of social at its finest! RT @markwschaefer: A beautiful post from @tracetv: REAL “Social” Media:tracetv.tv/6032/real-soci… — Hannah Morgan (@careersherpa) February 13, 2013
I don’t really “know” Mark Schaefer, but I have been a reader and fan of his excellent work at BusinessesGrow.com for a few years now. He has also kindly shared some of my posts from this blog on Twitter. For Christmas, my wife gave me a copy of Mark’s book on influence marketing “ROI – Return on Influence” which I read and enjoyed immensely.
A special shout out to the many online friends who have become IRL friends! Each one has a story and I am so fortunate to know you all!
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
