Practical tips to help your job & career life work for you!
Why networking stories? Because so many people think networking has to be a focused, effortful — sometimes even painful — attempt to connect. But there is so much more to the art of networking!
Basically networking connections can be made anywhere, anytime. And what works best is to open your mind to connecting real person to real person … without an end goal in mind. At least not all the time.
My friend got a job at a major tech company recently. And networking got her there. When it comes to job search, networking matters not just a little but a LOT. Especially now. But not the hit-and-run kind of networking. I mean the other kind. Where you build relationships over time.
Not all networking connections are the same. Some are fleeting — disappearing into thin air before they ever take hold. Some turn out to be useful and then fade away. But then there are those very special networking relationships that last far into your career future.
And when is the best time to start? When you need a job? When your career is rapidly sinking into the toilet? If you wait until you really need the networking connection, it might turn out to be a flimsy one.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t mobilize when the career red light starts blinking. But you’ll have that all-important head start if you already have people to turn to right away. So the best time to start is NOW!
Networking is one of your absolute best job-search and career-building tools. But for job seekers who aren’t networking pros, the whole thing can feel pretty scary. For the most part, a potential networking contact is more than willing to help if you approach them in the right way. Just remember that sincerity, respect and letting them see the real you goes a long way.
Of course, there are also lots of ways to screw up relationships of any kind — including networking. While any given networking relationship can last the life of your career, for this post, I’d like to focus on initial networking contacts and meetings.