Networking, Networking, Networking

Regardless of your chosen career (or perhaps you are preparing to enter the job market) today’s economy demands that you establish and extend your personal and professional network. Opportunities are often discovered through the connections you have made in the marketplace and therefore increasing your connections will increase your opportunities. There are a myriad of online options that permit “networking” without the intimidation that make accompany introducing yourself to someone for the very first time; however, such networking alone is not the answer and is best used to complement meeting new people in the real world (that means you actually have to get out there and meet people – real, living and breathing people). Here are some tips to consider:

Alumni Groups. Contact the Alumni Offices where you earned your undergraduate and graduate degrees (high school alumni groups also exist). Inquire about Alumni Groups and events that may exist in your area. Additionally, you can usually find out if there are alumni that live in your area. Once you have located alumni, you actually have to take some action. If there is a group or event, attend and participate. To connect with individual alumni, consider putting together an email requesting coffee or lunch so you can pick their brain about their area of expertise (whether that area is a specific career or perhaps working in a new location). You will be surprised by the positive responses that many alumni provide.

Volunteer. Find a cause or entity (for example, a hospital) that you believe in and find a way to volunteer. Ideally, you should volunteer somewhere where you are likely to meet valuable connections that could generate business or lead to additional career opportunities. Of course, you can just volunteer because you love to give, but as this post is targeting networking for professionals, giving with an objective in mind is a good idea.

Networking Groups. There are endless choices when it comes to Networking Groups. They are appearing everywhere and while some are valuable, many are not. Look for groups that are specific to your geographic area. Additionally, be wary of groups that require you to submit a quota of referrals. In my experience this results in a quantity over quality approach for those referrals that are given to you, as well as puts you in the position to give out information of your own clients. Business is about relationships and in my opinion, a good networking group focuses on building relationships rather than each member filling their quota in order to remain in good standing with the group.

Gyms, Clubs and Other Social Activities. Fitness Centers, Social Clubs and other social activities such as golf and bowling leagues are excellent places to network with others. These environments are designed to increase interactions between participants and taking advantage of these interactions will allow you to build relationships with others. Again, keep your objectives in mind and try to join social activities that are consistent with those objectives (for example, if you offer health-related services and are looking for clients, you should join social activities that cater to clientele who need and are interested in your services).

Follow Up. The number one rule of successful networking is follow up. Once you have made an initial contact and met someone new, you should remember to follow up with them. It can be something as informal as an email or text to say that you enjoyed meeting them. If you feel the meeting was a beneficial one, take steps to develop the relationship. For example, if the individual you met is employed at a company you wish to work for, ask them if they will review your resume and provide feedback (great way to get your resume into their hands). Once they provide feedback and you have had additional interactions, ask them for guidance in getting your resume into the rights hands.

Successful networking will provide you with additional business and other opportunities that would probably not have occurred otherwise. Keep the tips set forth above in mind and remember that to network efficiently and effectively, you must develop your objectives and proceed accordingly. That being said, let’s do lunch?