Thinking Career
Networking: It's a Relationship
Picture this: You walk into your next business networking meeting
and stop just inside the door. On your left, a man in a blue shirt
is laughing with a group of colleagues. On your right, a woman in an
olive suit is talking with animation to the organizer of the event.
Walking through the door moments after you, a young woman offers her
hand, and utters the customary “Hello, I’m so-and-so.”
Wish you weren’t here? You are not alone. Believe it or not, the
majority of business professionals hate to network. Even more
surprising, few of us know how to do it well.
When I ask business audiences why they hate networking, many say
they feel awkward and they fear rejection, primarily because they
don’t know how to network effectively. Most of us learn our
networking skills by observing others. The problem with learning by
watching is, for many people, the observation is influenced by a
belief that the purpose of networking is to obtain something from
someone, which leads people to misinterpret the process.
True networking is all about developing relationships. It is a
step-by-step process that builds over time, not a hit-and-run
transaction. Unfortunately, at some point, the business world began
to view networking as the equivalent of playing the slots in
This transaction mentality is the cause of the most common
networking mistakes. For example, a typical mistake is to network
for a job (hoping to hit the jackpot) instead of to gather
information and advice. Few of us would be so brazen as to walk into
an event, introduce ourselves, and ask outright, “Do you know of any
jobs?” Yet every day, job seekers commit the electronic version of
this blunder by sending e-mails to mere acquaintances asking for a
job, when asking for advice would be much more effective. Network
contacts are valuable resources for learning about a career field,
trends in an industry, the culture of an organization, or even to
get the inside scoop on a specific job opening.
Another too-common mistake is the failure to follow through with
contacts. Because it is viewed as a transaction, people believe if
they send an e-mail or leave a voice mail message, their side of the
transaction is complete. If they don’t get a response, they simply
write off that contact. Skilled networkers, on the other hand, take
the responsibility to make multiple attempts to connect with
someone, knowing that eventually persistence pays off.
A simple shift in perspective, from thinking of networking as a
transaction to viewing it as an opportunity to build a relationship,
could make your next networking experience more enjoyable and much
more effective.
Shannon Bradford
is a writer and coach, helping people learn how to master their
brains to succeed in their careers and businesses. She is the author
of Brain Power (Wiley, 2002).
Get more on career success at www.DreamCareerU.com
© 2004 Shannon Bradford
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