Go to any job fair, career event, mixer, or gathering and you’ll hear people murmuring about networking.
Any headline offering advice about finding a job in a tough economy mentions networking as the best way to find a job.
Career coaches, speakers, consultants and other experts all tout the value of networking, and yet…..
Nobody ever tells you HOW to do it!
That’s where this post comes in. Here are the three best ways to become a great networker.
3 Strategies to Be a Better Networker
Realize its value – Networking is the only credible way to find a job in this economy. Employers are inundated with resumes. Most will take a referral from a network over an unsolicited resume any time. People trust the word of a trusted sourcesDifficult – not many will do it (or do it well)
Know how to do it
Use modern tools
LinkedIn – LinkedIn is the “Facebook” for professional people. It’s a must if you want to be an effective network but pay attention to the following:
- Keep your profile current/updated
- Use a current professional photo
- Participate in discussions
- Spend time each day looking for “People You May Know”
Blogs
Blogs are a great way to establish yourself as a thought leader in your field. The key is to blog on meaningful topics and develop relevant content to your area of expertise. Opinions are fine, just be sure to back them up with data and facts.
Daily touch
Networking is something you do all the time, not just when you need something. Part of building rapport with your network is to feed it with information. Troll the web daily for relevant articles on major sites that some of your contacts will find interesting. As an added touch, use HootSuite to queue up articles to ping your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
Use Old-School tools
Face to Face – When attending meetings and events, introduce yourself and rather than talk about yourself, ask “How can I help you?” Ditch the “elevator speech” and replace with dialog. Make it all about them, not about you. If you have business cards, then master the art of the card exchange. Don’t shove yours in their face, but ask permission to have their card.
Phone – Yes most smartphones contain a feature that enables you to actually make a phone call to someone. Try it rather than a text or email and see what happens. E-mail, letters, and postcards work well too. Find an excuse to reach out reach out to people by recognizing major events and accomplishments.
Read up on it
Here are some of the best books I’ve found to give you the knowledge and skills around networking:
- Networking is a Contact Sport – Joe Sweeney
- Never Eat Alone – Keith Ferrazzi
- Power Questions: Build Relationships, Win New Business, and Influence Others – Andrew Sobel and Jerold Panas
- Make it a priority
Adopt the 10/15 program which means sending 10 pieces of correspondence and making 15 phone calls to “ping” your network.
Networking is difficult which is why so few people do it consistently or well. Considering it’s the key to success in business and in job hunting, you can’t afford NOT to do it. Try out some of these tips and let me know how it works for you!