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Networking When You Hate to Network posted on Wednesday, 03 December 2008

Tips to take the sting out of career networking.

Maybe you’re one of those chatty, outgoing types who absolutely loves walking into a crowded room full of people you have never met. Or maybe you’re like the rest of us and you will do everything possible to avoid a networking event. Maybe it’s the actual phrase itself, NetWORK, that makes you feel uneasy. The word alone makes it sound like a lot of work for what might yield minimal results.

During a career search, however, networking is the best way to tap into career opportunities you might not otherwise find. Statistics show that more than 60 percent of positions are filled before they are even posted, meaning you are never given the opportunity to submit an online resume or go through the process of establishing a connection through LinkedIn because you never even knew the opening existed. Knowing this, networking takes on a greater importance during the job search and here are some tips you can use to make it a little less painful along the way.

Start Close to Home. Networking doesn’t have to involve crowded events with over-priced cocktails. Your next, great opportunity might be right next door, literally, as in your next door neighbor. Often those closest to us, our friends, neighbors and even family members, don’t really have a clue what we do for a living. Talk to business colleagues in your community, at your church, and on the soccer field. Let them know you are on a job search and be clear about your goals and objectives. You will be amazed at the power of this network that you might not have otherwise considered.

Ask for Introductions. When you find out that your neighbor works for a company on your list of target organizations, ask for an introduction to decision makers or, best yet, the hiring manager. Many companies pay their employees for employee referrals so your colleague may be happy to refer you. If they don’t know anyone they can introduce you to, ask them to submit your resume anyway. Then follow up with an email to HR or the hiring manager and use your colleague’s name. Don’t insinuate that they are referring you unless you have their permission to do so. But using their name gives you an automatic “leg up” on the other applicants who don’t know anyone at the company.

Prepare for Networking Events. Ok, you DO have to go to these once in awhile, but your strategy is to make the best use of your time and investment. Do your homework: find out how many people will be there and the purpose/agenda for the meeting. Here are some suggestions:

•Look for ‘Professional Association Meetings’ for Your Industry. Recruiters frequently attend these meetings and it is a great opportunity for you to learn about organizations that have openings. You will be more comfortable at these gatherings since they are comprised of people with your skills and interests, making it easier to strike up a conversation. Be sure to circulate and not glom on to the first friendly person you talk to.

• Get involved with Alumni Associations for your college. Again, you already have a commonality in that you went to the same school, so conversing is a little easier.

• Attend Meetings Where You Come into Contact with Decision Makers. If you are not accustomed to networking, this one can be a bit intimidating, but it also provides you with the greatest opportunity to make an impression on those who have the power to further your cause. It’s during these kinds of interactions that positions are often created. One of my colleagues recently attended an event and was discussing Corporate Security with a new acquaintance. She was not actively in a job search and was just conversing about an industry topic of interest to her. The person she was conversing with realized that his organization was not adequately covered and long story short, within a week she was recruited by this company into a position that had not even existed before that networking event.

• Don’t attend events that have nothing to do with your industry, or are for industries that don’t interest you. The job search is difficult enough without wasting your time and money at meetings that do nothing for you. The caveat to this is, DO attend fun events that you just want to go to for grins and giggles, we all need a break now and then.

Networking doesn’t have to be all work. Make it easy on yourself by starting close to home where you are the most comfortable and venture out from there. As you become more at ease with the networking genre, you’ll find it easier to tackle those meetings where you don’t know anyone. You may find that you actually enjoy it.

Last but not least, once you land in your new position, don’t stop networking. Practice ongoing career management by always making and maintaining connections. And be sure to give just as readily as you receive, that is, freely share information, resources, openings and candidates with others along the way.

Pattie Vargas, co-founder of the San Diego-based career transition services organization NextWork™, and CPO with CUSTOMatrix™, Inc, utilizes her vast experience in the executive/management/team development industry to help individuals identify their personal strengths to gain clarity on how to achieve career fulfillment and effective results. She is the author of Extreme Project Manager Makeover, practical tips for managers. For more information on the services that NextWork provides, call (760) 420-8444 or visit www.nextworkservices.com.

Posted by Pattie Vargas