It's not something you do only when you're looking for your next job, big contract or when you're desperately trying to make a sales quota and your other opportunities have run dry. No, networking is about building trust in relationships over the long-term.
Unfortunately there are a lot of folks who come onto the scene every now and then to mine their networks only when they need something. Then when they've found what they're looking for they disappear again until the next time they have a need.
I see this behavior most frequently among job seekers. They become really active when they need their next job. Once they land that job nobody hears ever from them again. This is certainly understandable in the first few months of a new role. Eventually it's important to maintain some level of consistency in your networking efforts or you'll just be seen as a taker. If your network sees you as a taker then you can soon expect them to stop helping you.
The job market is a very different place than it was a generation ago. Statistically you can expect to need to look for a new job every 3-5 years, and 80% of jobs are found through networking (I'm looking for a real source that quantifies this 80% numbers, it's the most commonly used number, but I don't know where it came from). With those kinds of numbers it's easy to see how important networking is, and it's not going to work if you only do it when you need it.
Networking is a lifestyle, and I believe it's something you need to work into your regular schedule in a way that fits your style. In my opinion the most powerful form of networking is the networking you do one on one. Sure, being involved in your trade association, the Chamber of Commerce or another community organization is important, but if you're only going to do one thing make sure you meet with a regular number of people one to one.
Do you do the Starbucks thing most mornings? Once or twice a week invite somebody to join you for your morning cup of coffee. Enjoy eating lunch out? Lunch is my favorite way to get to know someone, and I eat lunch everyday anyway so I'm able to make a traditionally non-productive part of my day incredibly useful. Happy hour after work? It really doesn't matter which of these you use. Leverage one or more that you already do most consistently.
Define a set number of face to face meetings you'll schedule each week. At a minimum I recommend the one and one approach. Schedule one meeting (coffee, lunch, drinks, etc.) with someone already in your network who you enjoy spending time with, and can build a deeper relationship with. Schedule a second meeting with someone new that you've never visited in-depth with before. This might be someone you've known for a while that you've just never had an opportunity to sit down with one on one. Better yet this is someone brand new to your network, and the goal here is build your network (just one person at a time). The easiest way to find these folks is to tell those already in your network when you meet with them that you're doing this. Ask them to suggest someone you should know. It's that easy. Do this consistently over time and you're guaranteed to have a strong and always growing network.
Start a habit like this today, and keep it up over time. You'll thank me one day.
Happy Networking!
-Scott Ingram
NetworkInAustin.com
The Employment Economy (Guest Post by: Edward Gordon)
I am looking at the biography that I put together for Network In Austin, and as usual, have noticed that the list of companies that I have been affiliated with would be completely foreign to some of our younger members. Burroughs, once second only to IBM, cannot be distinguished from any other part of Unisys. Eaton Semiconductor, just like the Motorola semiconductor division has been divested for economic reasons, and has been renamed to a public relations chosen meaningless group of letters. Even mighty AT&T Bell Labs, has been divested, split up, bought, sold and renamed so many times, that a whole economic sector has sprung up just to deal with the business of presenting the names and logos to the public.
What does this mean to you and me? Well, if you are in the process of networking in order to secure your financial future, it means several things. For one, if you find it necessary to explain your resume and CV to a prospective client or future employer, then you are saddled with the problem of providing adequate substantiation of your claims due the near impossibility of providing adequate proof of your experience. With the fast changing technological environment, and the political upheaval that is happening with the professional community, the concept of a community of peers has become a tenuous, almost non-existent concept. With the adjustments that are taking place economically, politically and geographically, the individual and the corporation must be constantly in touch with the social media in order to have some knowledge of what to expect in the near future. With the advent of Twitter, Linked In, and other communities, the world has shrunk at an amazing rate, but we are in touch with what we need to do to move forward.
In the latest issue of the IEEE-USA Today’s Engineer, Dr. James Gower presents his views on what we need to do in order to jumpstart the economy (Today's Engineer June 2009), and what he feels the necessity to discuss is vitally important today. Yet, what he says is not news to anyone in the engineering industries. When in 2004, we were on Capitol Hill, lobbying for engineering funds, and other issues, in order to keep our professionals adequately employed, there was already that sense of urgency, the urgency was so profound, that we were able to convince John Kerry to integrate our issues into his presidential platform. The need to bootstrap the economy was existent then, and is still existent today, which is why it is absolutely vital that there is a synthesis created from all the Social Networks into a critical mass to move the economy back on the correct path. As a new resident of Austin, I am impressed at the efforts that are ongoing, and hope that I am able to help forge the arrangements necessary to get the community to where it needs to be.
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Edward Gordon has been in the software industry for 35 years, dealing with development lifecycle issues and technology transfer for companies such as Burroughs, Racal, Wang Labs, AT&T Bell Labs, Eaton Semiconductor, General Dynamics, SAIC and the Pentagon. He has worked with the IEEE-USA in lobbying Congress for funds for research in addition to his tasks with IEEE Consultant Networks and Professional Activities Committee, and is now a Senior Member of the IEEE. He can be reached at ebg@ieee.org.
I've realized that not everyone reading this blog is an experienced networker, which many of my posts are written for. This is for the newer networker that is wondering how to get started.
The first thing you need to know about networking is that everyone has a network. You don't have to go to mixers, happy hours and chamber luncheons to have a network. Your network is made up of all the people you have relationships with. Some of those relationships are close, like those with your family and good friends. Others are more distant acquaintances like your neighbors down the street, or a colleague in another department or city that you rarely get a chance to talk to.
It's my personal belief that REAL networking primarily happens one on one, face to face. Sure one on one can happen over the phone, but nothing beats person to person contact if it can be arranged. Start anywhere. It's probably easiest with those you are close to, but it's just as easy to reach out to someone you used to be close to but have lost touch with. Schedule a time that you can get together for lunch, a cup of coffee or a beer depending on your style. There's really not much more to it. Get together, have a good time and ask questions to learn how you can help this person. Repeat this process with others to deepen the relationships with those already in your network.
Ready to expand your network? There are lots of ways to do this, but the easiest and probably most reliable way is to simply ask those you're having lunch or drinks with. Give them some idea of what you're looking for, or the type of person you'd like to meet. Give them an opportunity to think of a couple of people who fit the bill and simply ask for an introduction. Do this well and you'll quickly see that this has an exponential effect and starts to look like a pyramid scheme. You meet with a good friend who introduces you to 3 of her friends. Each of them has a couple of people they think you should meet. Before you know it your network has grown by dozens of people who are already friends of friends, and that usually comes with some measure of credibility and trust.
That's really all there is to it. This networking thing certainly isn't rocket science. Make it a point so set aside a couple of times each week to get together with folks over drinks or lunch, and you'll quickly learn to love networking as much as I do. Then be sure to come back here or sign-up for our newsletter so you can learn more tips to make your networking even more effective.
With our Get Hired! event coming up tomorrow I thought it only appropriate that I write a post about Job Networking. Networking isn't just what you do at mixers and job clubs. It's really a part of every conversation and activity you're involved with; since you never know where that next opportunity is going to come from.
We all have certain strengths and abilities. Often times we discount the value of these abilities especially when they come really naturally and with almost no effort. They're just part of what you do. It's important to remember that these talents of yours have value. Frequently a lot of value. But you don't always get to demonstrate these skills as part of your regular job searching activities. Maybe if you're in sales, but I digress.
For so many reasons I think it's important to somehow get involved in something you're deeply passionate about outside of your job search. You should be doing things like this when you have a job, so why wouldn't you do them when you're looking for your next gig? This is easiest if you start with something you absolutely love. It might be a favorite non-profit, your church, your kids activities, a favorite sport or hobby. It really doesn't matter as long as it's an organization you care about. Approach one of the organizations leaders and tell them how you'd like to help. Make this easy for them. Don't just ask to help, which creates work for them to figure out how they can use you. Instead figure out a way that you can really demonstrate some of your highly valued skills and offer to do that for them. That way they can just say yes, they don't have to think and you get to show your stuff rather than getting stuck doing some menial task that you can't get excited about.
So now you're probably thinking. Why Scott? It's really important that I find my next job, and I need to focus on that and you want me to spend 5-10 hours a week volunteering my time?
Yes! Looking for a job can be really difficult work. It sometimes leads to depression especially in our society when you may define yourself by what you do. Besides, sending off a few more blind resumes probably isn't going to help you anyway. The psychological boost you'll get from making a difference will be invaluable during your search. Your attitude is so important and you impact your attitude most by what you do. Why not do something really worthwhile? It also will help you develop and deepen new relationships. Don't do this work in isolation, get out and be visible about it. Talk to people, tell them about the things you're doing and how much you enjoy it. Let them know that this is the kind of work that you love doing, and you're looking for your next opportunity to do it full time. Not only will you be demonstrating your skills, you'll also be keeping them sharp. It'll make interviewing easier as you'll have current examples you can point to in a positive light.
I'm yet to meet anyone who's sorry they took on this type of project. It may or may not directly lead to your next position, but it sure can't hurt.
Usually I think most people already have some ideas of where they want to be involved and how, but if you need some additional help there are a bunch of great resources to help you find this type of work. Here are just a few:
Oh yeah, and this doesn't have to have anything to do with a job search. If it's a good idea when you're looking for work isn't it also a good idea when you're not?
As I've thought about this job networking series much of my thinking had a specific desire at it's core. What I mean is a clear and very precise goal with regard to the position you're looking for.
Finding yourself among the unemployed can be quite a shock to the system. It often causes people to rethink their careers and many will consider changing industries, positions and even entire career tracks. There's certainly nothing wrong with this process, but it frequently causes these job seekers to be unable to articulate what type of position they're looking for. This inability to articulate their desires makes it nearly impossible for those in their network to help them because they can't know who to connect them with.
It's important to have a very clear and specific goal when you're looking for a new opportunity for so many reasons. You'll be able to develop the strategy and tactics necessary to attain that goal. You'll be able to reach out to those in your network and make very specific requests that they can actually help with. You can always change your goal as your search progresses, but at each step you need to be as clear as possible with those you're communicating with.
I will likely refer back to this post throughout the job networking series here on my blog. Without this clear vision in place the other job networking recommendations you'll find here will probably not be useful.
You can't cross the finish line without defining where it is.
There really is value in the various forms of online networking. I asked my friend Chris Garrigues to share his experience in nearly landing a job through Twitter. In the end this job fell through for Chris, but the lessons are no less instructive. Thank you Chris for sharing this story!
When I started twittering back in June, one of my goals was to see if it would be useful in finding a job. I asked Jason Alba of JibberJobber.com fame if it would be and he said:
"For a job search I'd suggest it's not going to be much help (prove me wrong, though, if you can :p). It's more of a long-term relationship building tool... so if had been on for a year, and had built a network, I could see that being really helpful, but for now, it's going to be more of listening to who is out there, what they are saying, and how you could develop relationships with them... just my two cents."
My Twitter job seeking strategy was to follow anybody in recruiting or HR I could find located in the Austin area. My hope was to be “top of mind” for these recruiters if they should find something that would be a good fit for me. I followed several of them and they followed me back. Of course, I also continued pursuing the job boards and working my traditional network and attending events like the ones held by Door64.
As the months went by, I didn't think about Twitter as part of my job search strategy, but more as just one of the tools I use to stay in touch with some key parts of my network. It also became a place where I felt comfortable discussing the presidential election with a diverse group of people. I ignored the advice of Scott Ingram who was concerned that I would offend half the people out there no matter which side I took.
One Tuesday afternoon in early October, while watching my girls at a playground, I sent the following tweet:
"Isn't 'tying McCain to the Keating 5' like tying John Lennon to the Beatles?" (from TPM, but paraphrased) 4:43 PM Oct 7th
One of the recruiters in my network replied:
@DeepEddy Oh that is funny! And look how open minded (sellout!) I am that I can laugh at the jokes from the other side? 4:48 PM Oct 7th
His very next tweets were:
So we need to find a Network Engineer, but the manager INSISTS on an actual BS in Comp Sci (no MIS/IS). I have never met such a creature. ?? 5:23 PM Oct 7th
Most people with Computer Science degrees become programmers/developers/etc, not Server/Router people. Thats how I see it - anyone disagree? 5:24 PM Oct 7th
I responded:
@davidrees I'm one. We exist. When I started in R&D labs, having only a BS made me undereducated. DM me re this position. 6:12 PM Oct 7th
@davidrees I'm mostly a Unix systems guy w/ management experience. What's the client willing to pay? 6:15 PM Oct 7th
David discovered that I wasn't in his files, so I sent him a résumé and told him how glad I was that he found my joke funny. By the next day he had told me that I had one of the best IT résumés he'd seen, but it might be a little while before I heard from them since this was the least important of three positions they were filling. Two hours later, he called me back to see if I could talk to the guy the next day.
[In an effort to shorten this story I've edited Chris' play by play of the aftermath. Long story short he was told that he had the job, but later had the rug pulled out on the offer based on the CFO's "assessment of the current economic conditions." Chris continued to explore other opportunities as this was transpiring.]
Lessons I can draw from the experience:
Pursue multiple channels when looking for a job and feel free to try things nobody else has done.
You can get away with discussing “controversial” issues like politics if you are never mean about it and remain in good humor. I never lost a Twitter follower as a result and even got an interview through someone who had opposing views. You gotta remain likable, however. I wouldn't try it if you aren't capable of being liked and respected by people who disagree with you.
Never stop prospecting until you have an offer in hand. The job I eventually got turned up during a time that I thought this one was going to come through.
You've probably noticed that unemployment has been on the rise lately. The national unemployment rate is up to 6.5%, and here in Austin it has grown to 4.7%.
It's certainly noticeable. I'm seeing more resumes come across my desk than I've ever seen in the past. Not to mention quite a number of personal friends who have found themselves in the ranks of the unemployed.
At a time like this many people are realizing just how important networking really is. Especially when they find themselves without a job knowing that the majority of job opportunities are found through networking and not through traditional means.
This has prompted me to start a series on job networking and career networking. The distinction being that job networking is an active search for a new position through relationships. Career networking is for those with a job who are looking to advance inside their organization or move up the ladder via another employer. There are many similarities between the two, but there are also quite a few differences.
My goal with this series is to create a truly valuable resource for those in a career transition, and a resource for their friends to be able to refer them to so that they can easily add some value.
I've already received an incredible Guest Blog post that I'm formatting now about how a friend of mine nearly landed a real job opportunity through his use of Twitter.
The following posts are currently in the queue over the next few weeks:
Networking to Your Next Job: Using Existing Relationships
Networking to Your Next Job: Starting From Scratch
Unemployed Networking: Maintaining Your Professional Identity
Best of Breed Tools for a Job Search in the Time of Web 2.0
Helping a job seeker: The Ultimate Referral
Networking Up The Ladder Inside Your Company
Job Networking in Austin, Texas
What's missing? What do you need to know about career or job networking? Do you have your own networking success story? I'd love to have you as a guest blogger to share your stories and suggestions with others.
Being in a position where you have no network is like not having a safety net. There's nobody there to catch you if you fall. The early stages of networking are like building a safety net. These are the critical relationships where if you misstep or faulter you have a support structure to help you get back up on your feet and moving in the right direction again. This comes through friendships, mentors and other meaningful networking relationships with people who care about you.
If you're serious about networking then the safety net is just the start. The smart ones among us build that safety net long before they need it. Sadly many realize they should have been networking and building their own safety net after they've already fallen, and it's too late. Most frequently this happens in a layoff or other job loss situation. If you've been building relationships in and around your industry then it's easy to bounce back. If not it generally takes significantly longer to climb back up to where you were.
Over time as your continue to strengthen your safety net through deeper more meaningful and broad based relationships your net not only grows stronger, but begins to develop some bounce to it. It's at this point that your network isn't there just to protect you from whatever life throws your way. Now it's creating opportunities.
Before the networking safety net was built a fall resulted in a major set back, not to mention some major bumps and bruises. Now the strength of your safety net more resembles a trampoline. You're able to use it to gain alititude and move to the next level through promotions, increased sales or upward job transfers.
If your network is weak start building your safety net today. You never know when you'll need it, but work hard to strengthen that network and you'll quickly find it will take you to new heights.
Thanks to a terrific business blogger who doesn't even live in Austin a new group was formed over dinner at Guerro's last night.
Thanks to the initiative of Jason Alba, founder of JibberJobber.com, 5 of us got together for some great food, networking and of course lively discussion and debate about blogging. Jason was on vacation in Houston, but went out of his way to connect face to face with just a few of the bloggers he's been networking with all over the country (The most important ones, the ones in Austin). This guy has taken blogger networking to a whole new level.
Thanks to Thom Singer who suggest we do this regularly the Austin Business Bloggers Club was born. We're hoping to include a few more local business bloggers at next months dinner. For those of you who fit the profile; consider this an open invitation.
The founders of this new group are pictured above. From left to right:
Jason Alba - JibberJobber Blog
I'll be talking more about JibberJobber.com very soon. For a sneak peak take a look at his website and read his blog. This is especially valuable if you're looking for your next job.
Thom Singer - Some Assembly Required
The 'other' must read networking blog here in Austin. This is my personal favorite blog, and not just because Thom and I are good friends. His posts are quick, concise and always on point.
Liz Handlin - Ultimate Resumes
Meeting Liz was a blast. I've just started reading her blog, and again if you're a job seeker this is an excellent read. She is unbelievably passionate about what she does. She's about a lot more than just a great resume.
Scott Allen - The Virtual Handshake Blog & Linked Intelligence
This was my second chance to get some face time with Scott and it's always a learning experience. Scott is clearly the most prolific writer in the group with multiple blogs and books.
The Austin Business Bloggers Club will meet regularly on the first Monday of each month for dinner at Guerro's starting at 5:30pm. Details will be provided on the calendar of NetworkInAustin.com
“Yikes! You just lost your job! You’ve been so busy at *work* that you don’t feel your network is as strong as you would like it to be! What are you going to do with (and to) your network in the next 6 weeks as you begin an aggressive job search campaign? And, outside of your network, what job search tactics will you employ? Or your best networking tips related to job searches.”
My answer:
Congratulations! You’ve just landed a new sales and marketing position. Whether or not you were in sales and marketing before, you are now. Your new job search will be a lot easier if you start thinking like a sales and marketing professional because that’s exactly what you’ll be doing. You’ll be selling and marketing yourself. Don’t forget that this is a full time job, and you’ll need to put in at least as much energy as you did into your previous position.
Before you start networking and dusting off your resume you should first identify your target market. Without a specific target your other efforts won’t be focused enough. If you don’t know what your target market is then you’ll need to do some market research.
Identify as clearly as possible the position or career that you’re looking for.
What industry is it in?
What is the job title?
What exactly do you do?
What are the necessary skill sets?
What size company?
Who do you report to?
What is the company culture?
Why do they need YOU?
The more specific you can be the better. It’s the difference between saying that you want to work in technology, and saying that you’re looking for a position as the IT Director of a medium sized financial services company in downtown Austin, Texas.
When you’re able to be that specific it’s easy to find companies that meet your criteria that you can begin targeting.
The traditional method of job searching would have you pour through classified ads and sites like monster.com to find jobs you’re qualified for and send out resumes. That’s akin to applying a direct mail approach to marketing yourself. You can probably expect about the same results; a 1-3% response rate. Instead I’d suggest a much more focused and direct approach.
A resume is essentially a brochure that’s designed to get you an interview. It's no different than a company or product brochure. Let me ask you this: When was the last time you actually read a brochure for more than 6 seconds? That’s how your resume will be treated. However, if the whole purpose of a resume is to get an interview why not just call and ask for the interview?
This is where the parallels between sales and your job search really become apparent. We’ve already talked about blind resumes being like direct mail and having a very low response rate. You could also make cold calls. That is, call the prospective companies that you’re interested in working for and asking for an appointment. You’ll probably get a little bit better response then just sending a resume, but your results probably won’t be spectacular. This is why networking is so valuable. If you can find someone that already has a relationship with your target company you can simply ask for a referral. Your odds of getting an interview will be much higher.
Ideally you’ve identified your target market so clearly that you have a list of companies you’re interested in working for. If you don’t have a list of specific companies than at least a crystal clear description of the type of organizations you’re interested in. This is where you start networking.
Start talking to your existing network. Focus on those that you have the best relationship with, and who are most likely to know someone at your target companies. Work your way down from there. The more specific you can be when you ask for introductions the better. That’s why a list of target companies is so useful.
The question as Jason asked it suggests that your network isn’t very strong. Networks take a long time to build, and you’re not going to be able to build a new network in just 6 weeks. However, you can build some strategic relationships and still get where you want to be. Try to find someone who is in a similar position, or the same department as you’d like to work in at your target company. Give them a call and ask them to lunch or coffee. Here’s your chance to learn about the organization from the inside. What are their biggest challenges? Do they have a position available or need additional help? Who else in the organization would they suggest you talk to? By building several relationships inside the company you can quickly learn a lot about how you might be able to fit in. If you play your cards right and act graciously you might even get that introduction or referral you were looking for.
This same process can be used to build relationships with vendors, customers, suppliers or anyone else who might have relationships with the organizations you’re interested in. If you’re targeting a specific industry there’s a very good chance that that industry has an association. Go to those association meetings. Market yourself at those meetings. Let people know what you’re looking for. Don’t forget to follow-up with the people you meet at those meetings.
By following this process you should be able to find opportunities for yourself relatively quickly.
Job networking is a very broad topic. I’ve really only scratched the surface and I thank Jason for posing the question. I’m sure there will be lots of other terrific advice from other bloggers so check out Jason’s blog for links to their responses.
You can also expect more posts about career networking here on this blog in the future.
For many networkers lunch is probably their most productive time of the day. While everyone else is taking a break to eat they’re going to work. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it.
Many entrepreneurs, business owners and sales professionals know this and take full advantage of their lunch. Lunch may provide an even greater opportunity for someone looking to advance their career, or trying to find their next job opportunity. Sadly most people will have lunch with the same people, day after day after day. This is truly a missed opportunity.
If you’re looking to advance your career have lunch with people in other areas of your organization. Get together with folks in other departments and learn about what’s happening in other facets of your company. Go to lunch with your superiors and learn to see the enterprise from their perspective. Learn more about those who report to you, or others in the organization and see if there’s a way that you can help them advance their career. You’ll quickly become a more valuable employee with a better understanding of the bigger picture. This will improve your chances of advancement, or at the very least insulate you from the next downsizing event.
Next look outside your organization. Ask your counterpart at a competitor to lunch. Learn about their successes and challenges. See if you can’t build a relationship where you can help each other out. These can be invaluable should you ever find yourself without a job or if a better opportunity presents itself within your industry you’ll be one of the first to know.
This certainly isn’t rocket science, it’s just lunch. Don’t be afraid to ask ANYONE to join you for lunch. You’ll find that you’ll rarely if ever be turned down.
One of the things I hope to talk about more this year is job networking. If you’re reading this blog you’ve probably already experienced the power of using your network to find a job, or maybe a better job found you because of your network.
To kick off this new job networking category on my blog I’ve recruited the poster child of career networking to help me. Tom Matula has done the best job of anyone I’ve ever seen work on networking his way to a new job. I’m a little surprised that a very smart company hasn’t snapped Tom up already, but he started from a pretty disadvantaged position. He was brand new to Austin and had to build his network from scratch! That’s no small undertaking, and I applaud Tom for his efforts. He’s done a great job so far.
Tom has written 2 articles about his quest so far:
For the most part I’m going to let Tom serve as the career networking education section for me. His insights are going to be far more relevant than mine since they’re real world based. I can really only comment on my observations of others. Of course, you can bet that I’ll occasionally make reference to some of the posts on Tom’s blog.
One more thing. Tom IS looking for a job. Read what he has to say, and if you know of any opportunities that would be a good fit for him, then please pass that information on to Tom. Networking is about helping other people. I hope you’ll help me help Tom. He’s certainly been a great asset for me in the few short months that I’ve known him.
