Networking: People Helping Each Other

Networking is an important ingredient to professional success that can be invisible if you’re not aware of it. When you look at a person, you might not know about different connections they have – people with powers and capabilities that this person can tap into by asking those in their network for a favor, when needed. As one person, your reach and abilities are inherently limited; there’s too much to learn to be an expert in everything, and you don’t have the time to do everything even if you could be an expert at it all. By having a strong professional network to leverage for help when you need it, you can amplify your ability to arrange for things to get done far beyond what you can do directly. Here are some basic points to introduce you to networking:

-            Connect people with people and people with opportunities

-            Reciprocating help and “paying it forward”

-            Recommended resources and what each can teach you about networking

Connect people with people and people with opportunities

The essence of networking is connecting people together so they can help each other by sharing knowledge and opportunities. You might be aware of a specific job opening that another person is seeking but unaware of, and you can connect that person with the hiring manager for that job, helping both of them! It’s important to network in-person at professional and social events, clubs and volunteer organizations, and at work; it’s also important to connect on LinkedIn with new networking contacts using the profile you set up previously. Many of them will already be there, and LinkedIn is a convenient way to learn more details about others and stay in touch with them over time.

Always think about the potential for a new LinkedIn connection when you meet someone and talk about work or careers with them. Be sure to take a genuine interest in the other person and their work because you never know when their help could come in handy. Even if their work isn’t exciting to you, listen to them to understand their work and push yourself to see how much you can learn from your conversation with them. Your genuine interest both helps you remember more about that person and makes them feel valued and special, making them more eager to help you in the future.

Reciprocating help and “paying it forward”

One important consideration about networking is to use the power of your network as well as your own abilities to help others, just as you might like others to use theirs to help you. Simply put, networking is about giving as much as getting. Whenever you can, look for ways to help others who have helped you, but be willing to accept help from someone else even if you can’t repay it right now. Graciously thank them for it and keep the favor in mind for possible repayment in the future if you find a good opportunity to help them back, but don’t feel guilty about accepting help. Most people are happy to help anyhow and are thrilled if they’ve inspired you to pay it forward and help someone else in a similar way. If we all use networking to build a culture of proactively and thoughtfully helping each other out without expecting repayment or “keeping score”, everyone becomes more successful through the abundance of help we all have at our fingertips when we need it.

Proactively keep a list of people you know who are looking for work or ways to advance in their career. For example, maybe you could alert someone you know to a good certification to earn or a discount on one they need to obtain or renew, or you might recommend a particular training course you took and thought was great. Offering someone the right help when you notice them seeking it demonstrates good customer service, which gives that person something very positive to tell others about you if they get a chance to network on your behalf in the future.

Recommended resources and what each can teach you about networking

Of course, there are lots of great sources you can consult to learn more about networking than this short post can cover. A great place to start is looking at your job seeking website for guidance, such as the CareerForce page on networking. These resources may suggest networking events or techniques that you haven’t thought of before, and trying those may reveal opportunities that you wouldn’t have discovered on your own. Here is another post on networking that offers several good tips and explanations: 11 of the best networking tips (that actually work!) - PowerToFly.

In addition to searching for advice on effective networking, you might consider sources that give good guidance about small talk and being an enjoyable conversationalist. If you think of most of your networking effort as socializing and getting to know other people, you’ll probably get them to like and remember you more and want to connect more deeply with you. This likability and memorability will come in handy if you need to approach anyone you meet for a favor later.

Conclusion

You’re not alone in the world of work, even if you happen to be the only person you know looking for a better job right now. Others are there to help you and want to help, and surely, they will have times when they could use your help in the future. Keep looking for ways to connect people with others or opportunities they might appreciate. Reciprocate help you get from others when you can, but when you can’t, don’t feel bad about graciously accepting help and look for ways to pay it forward instead. Read a few articles about networking to help you think about how you can best approach a networking event or situation. By being ready to network anytime, you can make the most of it both for anyone you could help and anyone who could help you.

Prepare yourself for meaningful, effective networking and find at least one networking event to register for and put on your calendar today!

The next step on the roadmap: Picking a Job to Pursue