Greetings! 
Recently a client who's just landed a good
position made a comment that, quite frankly,
startled me. "I'm so glad to have my
new job ... now I can quit all that networking I've
been doing". Yikes! You can imagine my
surprise.
I know many people wince at the notion of
networking, especially you introverts! Yet, we
can't be without this valuable
resource. Below are some tips to demonstrate
how to network properly.
As the first day of spring, why not
make a commitment to cultivate your network.
Just like new seeds, your network needs
frequent watering and nurturing to survive and
thrive. If done consistently and properly,
your efforts will pay off bountifully.
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Care and Feeding of
Your Network |
Did you know that
according to a recent staffing firm survey
more than one-third of workers say not asking people for
help is the top networking mistake! Ranked
second was not asking for help when they need it
(37%) followed by not keeping in touch with
contacts (25%). Many people say they are
embarassed about asking for help or feel they can
succeed without others' involvement. Here are
5 ways to network properly
....
1. Know your
purpose.
You
would think this sounds obvious, but many job seekers
beat around the bush or only hint at needing help.
They waste their contact's time when they're unclear
about what they want to do or how the contact might be
helpful to them. Think about who your targeted
companies are and how your contact might help make
connections to those employers through their
network.
2. Be
prepared.
Do
your homework. Review your questions ahead of
time. Are some easy to answer by your own basic
research? years ago as a corporate sales manager, I
was asked by a networker ... "tell me about
what sales is like?" Needless to say, she wasn't
very impressive. The more you know about your
contacts' companies or industry, the more they will
remember you.
3. Change your mindset.
The term
"networking" has lots of connotations - not all good.
Consider what you're really trying to do, and
that's to make connections and build
relationships. It's much easier to seek advice if
you recognize this isn't a one-time meeting.
In actuality, successful networking really is a two-way
street. Offering your help either in your
time or resources is a wonderful way to build
relationships. For instance, often people whom
you'll see don't have time to keep up with all the news
or information about their field or industry. Look
for a good article to send as a way of saying thank you
for their time. It will make a huge
impression.
4. Respect your contact's time.
When granted an
opportunity to meet, be mindful of their time. You
probably want to set the stage by asking for no more
than 15-20 minutes. It's also a good idea to
email them prior to your meeting to give them an
itinerary of what questions you'd like to ask along with
a short description of yourself. That let's
them know you're organized and conscientious.
5. Be
attentive.
When
someone grants you their time, you'll be much more
successful if you remember to listen! Many times
networkers are so anxious to impress their new contact,
they talk their way right through to the end of the
meeting. People really respond when they know
someone is attentive. Also, when you write your
thank you note for the meeting (yes, this is
critical!), mention something that you learned
or found valuable during your meeting. A
thank you note not only says lots about your
professionalism but also allows you to keep the
connection
going. | |
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Success Story |
Susan,
Having been a
stay-at-home mom for the past 15 years, I wasn't
relishing the idea of getting back into the job
market. Your approach to helping me
recognize that I do have valuable ,
marketable skills was a big boost for me.
Learning how to actually connect with people to
find opportunities instead of simply dumping my resume
into job search engines and waiting for responses
was the catalyst I needed to move forward. I'm very
excited about my new prospects.
Warmly,
Carmen P.
non-profit
coordinator |
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Career Action Plan
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If your career search isn't yielding results,
your focus is unclear, or you don't know how to promote
yourself, schedule a Career Action Planning
(CAP) session. This 90-minute
session gets to the heart of any career problem,
identifies what's working for you, what
areas
need attention, and what next steps you
need to take.
In addition you'll receive:
* An audiotape of session
results
* Written summary of session
For
more information, call
...
707
542-2420 | | |
