Your network consists of family, friends, neighbors, co-workers
and former employers. It also consists of your dentist, your
barber or hair stylist, your accountant and your local grocery
store manager. Networking is not only who you know, but who
knows you. You may know a lot of people, but how well do they
know you – especially in terms of your skills, talents,
creativity and potential? How familiar are these people with
your value proposition -- your unique gifts?
It is your value proposition that differentiates you from the
crowd; it is what stands out in the minds of those with whom you
are networking. Your value proposition is the cornerstone for
all self-introductory communication. It sets the tone. It’s how
you make your mark. It is how you describe yourself during any
networking scenario.
The best way to network is to communicate your qualities to the
people you know, so they in turn will know you better. Practice
doing this in as concise and clear a way as possible. When you
communicate your value proposition in a lasered way, you will be
extremely effective.
Networking is never about asking someone for a job. It’s about
letting people in, and asking questions such as “Who do you
know?” and “Who else should I be talking to?” This process can
truly mushroom, especially if you don’t wait until you are out
of work before making contact with people. The results can be
quite amazing.
Networking is also about finding out as much as you can about
the people with whom you are networking. This serves many
purposes. Remembering things about a person the next time you
see them makes them feel significant. They will want to do more
for you. Secondly, you can begin to connect the dots between
their background and your own career objectives. Thirdly, you
are building a bridge of trust; your encounter will be viewed as
genuine and mutually beneficial, rather than as a manipulative
gesture designed just for your gain.
An important part of networking is continuance. You’re building
a relationship. There needs to be planned follow-up activity and
communication. The best way to accomplish this is by asking for
their business card and summarizing the action steps you plan to
take based on your dialog. Include a follow-up phone call as
part of your summary. Once your brief meeting has concluded,
send a thank-you note to the person, reiterating your
appreciation for their willingness to meet with you, and any
planned steps you will be taking.
Networking supports your entire job search effort. As an
extremely powerful strategy which accounts for roughly 80% of
all job fills, it allows you to get in doors that would
otherwise be impossible to enter. You can network your way into
potential opportunities that can turn into the right job created
just for you. It’s a great way to tap the hidden job market!
Networking is about creating relationships which, in turn,
creates opportunities. It is about connecting, which builds a
network of support that can last a lifetime. Only three
ingredients are required:
You will need just a bit of courage to open up a dialog with
someone you already know, or someone who was referred to you.
You need to be aware of your potential and worth. The final
ingredient is caring – caring enough about the other person to
truly be interested in them and to build a connection, to start
a relationship. The results will speak for themselves.
Copyright © 2005 TopDog Group All rights reserved.
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