HOW TO MAKE “NETWORKING” WORK
by Karen Alphonse, Vice President, ExecSearches.com

If you are like me, when someone else suggests that you “network” to keep your career options open, you probably have a mental picture of being stranded at a cocktail party full of near-strangers trying to make small-talk.  You also wonder how, if at all, the babble has any relationship to your career and to your professional life.  The banter may focus on topics and people you don’t know.  Between the insider jokes, the wine and the hors d’oeuvres, you can be left wondering just how to break the “ice,” and more importantly, who to start with.  It can be daunting.  However, there are many ways to make networking work for you.

You are not alone in feeling a bit of trepidation about networking.  But, the good news is that there are as many kinds of networking as there are people.  At least one or several formats will work well for you.  So, don’t give up on the concept just because cocktail parties aren’t exactly your first choice.  Remember that scrolling through your own rolodex periodically, flipping through your e-mail address book or even reviewing the stack of business cards on your desk once a month can also be valuable.  These activities are also the basis of legitimate and, perhaps, less intimidating forms of networking.

I have frequently used the telephone to start a conversation.  When another professional hands me his or her business card, I take that as a signal that he or she is at least willing to entertain a follow-up conversation.  I will select, every month, 6 of those people whom I would like to connect with for lunch.  I will then call each of them up, find out their availability, and schedule time to meet in a casual setting.  One of the clear advantages here is that I have an opportunity to choose a place where I feel comfortable and where I have an idea of the menu, where the rest-rooms are etc.  This all makes the conversation easier.  Also, if both of us like a particular place, I know that we are off to a good start.

As a rule, I do not set a particular agenda for these kinds of meetings.  I want them to be as spontaneous and free-flowing as possible.  I definitely don’t want them to be staged or phony.  Also, I don’t want to inadvertently miss great opportunities because I have been too busy planning.  Instead, I use them as a chance to get to know the other person more and to learn about his/her industry.  Over time, when we have met once or twice in this way, it becomes much easier to have more focused discussions and to seek and share career-related information.  By that time, however, we have built trust and a reasonable way of communicating.  Typically, we have also bumped into each other a number of times since our initial meeting.  Each encounter makes it easier to have a conversation and to explore new areas.

Another medium many have used, quite successfully is e-mail.  When your stack of business cards or rolodex suggests that a particular person may have a quick solution for some work dilemma or professional problem, send them a quick e-mail message.  Let them know how and when you met them, how much you enjoyed the meeting and what you need by way of advice.  Most people are quite flattered that you have kept their contact information and that you value their advice.  You can use all of these positive feeling to forge new, strong professional relationships.  Not only is e-mail direct and quick, many busy people like the informal format.  It also allows for responses to be given when it is convenient to the addressee, not necessarily when you put out the question.

Another way to network is to get a group of likeminded professionals together to attend a cultural event.  Invariably, as the day proceeds, we share information about our work-lives.  This sharing is usually relaxed and spontaneous.  We all leave the meeting feeling as if we really got to know each other a lot better.  The more fun the outing, the more likely it is to be valuable in a professional sense.  All of us enjoy having fun.  We remember good times and people we share them with much more readily than others.  So, let’s keep the fun time rolling.

Finally, if you must attend an obligatory cocktail party for networking purposes, why not invite a friend?  Not necessarily someone from your business or professional environment, but a friend.  He or she can keep you amused when the room in not quite buzzing and you can both share notes on the people you meet and the information you are able to glean. You will guarantee yourself a fun outing and you are bound to meet others who are in a similar frame of mind.

Karen is available to assist you in writing a new resume or reformatting an old one. For more information, write to  karena@execsearches.com or call 888-238-6611.