Networking Basics

We all hear about the importance of networking.  Build your network.  You should use your network to find your next job.  Make sure you contribute back to your network.  And the best one, you should network.  It's great! Now we all know everything we need to find the next job.  Build, use, contribute to and network your network.  Makes perfect sense. You're now an expert.  Class dismissed.  Go forth and network.  




Yeah, it didn't work for me, either. Telling you what you need and what you should do with it really isn't all that helpful without some definition and instruction.  The how and the why of it all is necessary to understand before you can start something.  I can tell you all about cake.  I can describe it in detail, what it's used for and when. Then I can give you a list of ingredients and say you now have all the tools you need to bake a cake.  You then sally forth to the kitchen returning with a professional quality wedding cake crafted by your own two hands.  And if you think it works that way, I have a bridge or two I think you might be interested in purchasing...

Related: LinkedIn Etiquette

Let's just start at the basics.  What is a "network"?  And, how do you get one?  The good news is, unless you're a hermit living in a cave at the top of a very steep mountain, you already have a network in place.  Your network is just the people you know, both personally and professionally.  They could be people you've met in person or just online.  Regardless of where you know them from, they count. Facebook and LinkedIn are the most popular social platforms designed primarily to organize your network.  LinkedIn is specifically for your professional network but can (and should, really) include people from your non-professional life.  I'm connected in LinkedIn with friends and family members right along with my professional contacts.  Just because you're not connected with someone in LinkedIn, doesn't mean they aren't part of your network.  LinkedIn is just where you organize and keep track of people.  Everyone you know, regardless of where you know them from, is part of your network.


Now you know you have a network. Great.  But what do you do with it? And how do you know if you have a "good" network?  First, understand that each person in your network knows lots of things you don't.  They also meet lots of people and have lots of experiences that you don't and that don't involve you.  Every day.  Some of these experiences they have could possibly be beneficial to you but they won't realize that unless you've told them what you're looking for.  So tell your network what you need.  Tell them you're looking for a job.  Tell them what kind of job or the company you'd like to work for.  The easiest way to get this started is to announce it on LinkedIn and Facebook.  You don't know who the people in your network know.  Someone in your network might just know someone very high up in that company you want to work for and could introduce you.  Don't leave someone out because you think they can't help you.  My mom offered to get me an interview at a company once because, turns out, she was friends with the CEO's wife.  Who knew?  Every network is a good one because everyone knows people you don't know which extends your reach.  The best way to get your network to help you, is to ask.  Just put it out there.  It's ok.  A lot of the people know and care about you, so they want to help.  The rest want to help because they know, next time they might be the ones asking and they'll want you to help them.

Related: Effective Networking

Which brings us to the last bit for today.  Why should anyone in your network do anything for you?  The most important thing you absolutely must do with your network is to look for ways to help others.  Offer advice, offer to make introductions and respond in a positive way when someone asks you directly for something.  If it's something you can't do, or aren't comfortable doing, talk to them to work out a way you can help them.  Don't ever just say no.  When someone in your network asks you for something, "I can't" is never an acceptable answer.  That'll get you dropped from their contact list faster than anything.  I know.  I've dropped people for that very reason.

To sum up:  You have a network, it's simply everyone you know.  You use your network by telling them what you need and asking for help.  You guarantee people will help you by making the habit of volunteering to help them, first.  In the next post we'll talk about how to actually go about announcing to your network that you need help.  And how to ask someone directly.  Especially if it's someone you don't know very well.  Yes, it's ok to talk to and ask people that you don't know well. Don't be shy, everyone's doing it.  And we'll show you exactly how to go about it. It's not that hard.  Really.