Most of us, trained and seasoned sales professionals occasionally excepted, have an innate aversion to approaching strangers, even if it means just picking up the phone and asking a referred contact for their valuable career advice. Networking however is a skill well worth learning to advance your career and an essential activity for any aspiring jobseeker. Avoid key networking blunders and you will find that most people, approached correctly, are only too happy to offer valuable advice when it comes to your job hunt or at least to point you in the right direction. So what are the most common networking mistakes and how do you avoid them to ensure your networking is successful?
The following is a summary guide of the key networking don'ts and how to circumvent them from the Middle East's #1 job site bayt.com.
Your objective through networking is to survey the employment landscape by enlisting the help and advice of others and to find out from people you know and the network of people they know which companies may be hiring now or in the near or intermediate future. Networking is a great way to expand your circle of professional contacts, to get the word out in the right circles that you are looking for a job and to uncover the "hidden" job market which is the vast market of jobs that are filled by word-of-mouth referrals and never advertised. Aim to get valuable advice, information and pointers about the job market as well the names of at least three professionals who can further help you from every contact you approach.
Approach your networking activities in the same manner you would broach any important project; with careful planning, research and preparation. Start with a mind-map of where you are, what you have to achieve and how you plan to get there; then map out a strategy for success that begins with a comprehensive list of people you currently know, people you would like to know in the industries and companies you are targeting, and questions you need to ask, functions you need to attend and people you need to target to get there.
Include everyone you know who could possible be of any help in your initial list of contacts and don't underestimate who or what your immediate contacts may know. You may be very pleasantly surprised to find that the most unlikely people in your immediate circle can through their own contacts link you to a suitable vacancy. Approach everyone you know and aim to get the word out in the market that you are looking for a suitable position.
The "six degrees of separation protocol" would suggest that only a few phone calls will get you to the right contacts in your target companies or at least highlight a vacancy or two in the market. However our recommendation is to spread your wings and be as aggressive and creative as possible in constructing your list of contacts. Expand your list of people to call and/or meet beyond just friends and family to previous coworkers, previous clients and suppliers, members of clubs and groups you belong to and accessible mailing lists of professionals who attended training seminars, conferences or other functions within your industry. Aim to attend events held by local trade organizations, chambers of commerce and any other relevant industry events where you can interact with people and expand your network.
There is a middle ground between having a rigid script and an informative interesting two-way conversation; effective networkers are able to find and tread that middle ground successfully. Have a professional and concise script ready for when you approach your contacts, rehearse the script and plan to walk through it systematically, but be prepared to amend it to take into account the questions and personal agenda of the person you are soliciting advice from. Ideally, you should approach each cold contact via a referral from someone who knows them. Once you have briefly introduced yourself, mentioned your referral source and secured their permission to take a few minutes of their time, get straight to the business of networking which is to ask for any advice, tips and market intelligence that can help you in your job search as well names of additional people you can contact to further your search.
While your overarching aim via your networking activities is most definitely to get a job, you should be very clear when you approach individual contacts that you are calling/meeting them to get their valuable advice and any pointers, tips and referrals they can give you to that end. Do not approach them by asking directly if they have an immediate vacancy. Approaching a cold call with a "Do you have a job" proposition will in most cases lead to an outright "No" and close the door in the face of the wealth of other information and referrals and future opportunities you may have learned of from this source. Make sure you do not "waste" you contacts in this way.
While not every call or visit will produce long-lasting chemistry it is a pleasant added advantage if at least a few of your networking calls did lead to prolific professional long-term relationships beyond that first cursory introduction. Aim to impress the other party with your professionalism and listening skills and try to make the conversation a fluid two way street where you can give and take market insight, feedback and advice. You will get a lot more in the way of advice, information and referrals both immediately and in the longer term if you establish a rapport with the other party and gain his trust and confidence.
Make your intentions clear and keep your conversation concise, focused and professional. Avoid approaching people you don't know with questions and comments like "How are you doing today" and "great weather we're having today" as well as any unnecessary personal or casual banter that veers away from the main purpose of the call. Demanding too much of someone's time also shows a disrespect for their time and agenda - aim to limit your conversation to about5 minutes and if the other party chooses to engage you for longer with helpful tips and advice then let that be a pleasant bonus.
If the person you are calling informs you outright that this is a bad time to call don't slam the phone and give up, instead get a firm date for a future contact. Ask very politely when a better time to call is or if you can invite him/her for a very quick cup of coffee instead at a time that is convenient for them. In-person meetings often accomplish a lot more in terms of breaking the ice than phone calls. Whatever you do, don't take things personally; if one contact is less than forthcoming move immediately on to the next one.
Most people are very busy with more pressing priorities and taking time out of their busy schedules to give you career advice should be perceived as the very generous gesture it is. Whatever you do don't monopolize the conversation. Whether on the phone or in a meeting your "elevator pitch" describing yourself and your objectives should be no more than30 seconds long and the rest of the conversation should involve asking questions and responding to them. Show appreciation for the time the people you contact spend wi th you by following up each phone call and meeting with a professional thank you letter. Let them know your own door is open for any advice or help or pointers you can give them in the future.
A successful job-hunting networking campaign will probably involve you talking to approximately50-100 people and you are more likely than not to forget key facts, figures and information you learn along the way. To avoid this, take thorough notes that include everything you learn about each individual contact as well as names, numbers and email addresses of referrals. Don't forget any details. You never now what information will come in useful at a later stage and you need to be prepared if any contact calls you back in the future.
If you make any promises, make sure you keep them; whether that involves calling your contacts at a later date, or sending a CV, or some other item that is of help to your contacts. Aim to stay top of mind with the occasional email or phone call informing them of any item that may be of interest to them; whether it is picking up on a subject close to their heart, mentioning that you saw their name in the news, or congratulating them on a sale or a promotion you hear of. Remember that successful long-term relationships involve trust, open communication, reciprocity and mutual benefit.
