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When job searching, networking is:
No Wonder Many People Shrink from the Idea of Networking
By Maureen Latta Thursday, August 02, 2012People who cringe when they think about networking might assume it will be difficult, or intimidating, or perhaps they feel an instinctive dislike for self-promotion.
Shaking hands with strangers at cocktail parties and "meet and greets"; smiling until your cheeks ache; trying desperately to think of something impressive to say. No wonder many people shrink from the idea of networking.
You'll often hear that networking is important both for finding jobs and for promoting your business or organization. Some career networking how-to blogs list more than 20 bullet points. Making one new networking contact per day (bullet #19) might sound like a fine goal, but that adds up to 250 new people per year with whom you'll have to form a relationship. That's fine for Type A personalities, but what about the rest of us?
Instead of focussing on a how-to checklist or a large quantity of contacts, why not build on what you already do well. In reality, networking is the everyday skill of making friends and maintaining friendships. I happen to be good at asking people questions about themselves and really listening to their answers. Two years ago I was at an event and found myself doing this with the woman sitting next to me. I had no intention of "networking," but simply indulged my natural curiosity. Three months later she hired me to work for her organization.
Rather than having a preconceived idea of what networking is, why not reflect upon those "friendship skills" you already have - and then think about how you could apply those skills for career purposes. Perhaps your friends appreciate you for being an empathetic listener, or for knowing their tastes in books and being able to recommend a great new title. Maybe people notice you for your contagious smile, or your sense of humour. Maybe you are the kind of person who can sense what your friends need and are ready to step in and offer help without hesitation. Your personal approach to networking can start with what you are already good at, but might take for granted.
Allow a larger circle of people to see your special gifts. Expand your sense of who your friends are and who you can share a smile and a laugh with, listen to, recommend books to, and offer help to. That, my friend, is networking.
Visitor Comments
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Art - 2012-08-09
This is certainly true in Powell River!
I recently moved to this community and have had difficulty finding work. I think there is a lot of nepotism here.