Proven Networking Techniques

Thirty years ago, the average professional remained with his or her company for a lifetime or changed jobs only once before retirement. With the advent of merger mania, corporate reengineering, downsizing, and fine-tuning–all euphemisms for the wholesale elimination of jobs-networking has evolved. Networking once consisted of trading business cards at cocktail parties, sporting events, anywhere professionals gathered for social activities. 

Today, networking is a way of life. How pervasive is this practice? Companies estimate that they fill more than twenty-five percent of their open positions by networking (figure 1).

Figure 1. The Emphasis on Networking for Job Searches Category Percentage Internal Moves More than 50% Networking More than 25% Classified Ads Less than 10% Search Firms Less than 10% Internet Less than 5% but growing

Predictions indicate that the average twenty-five-year-old will change not only jobs, but also industries, three or more times in his or her career. Networking to maintain connections with former colleagues is, of necessity, replacing the continuity of contact and sense of loyalty the employee once enjoyed from within the shelter of the corporation.

Experts agree that the importance of networking as a tool for job searches will grow exponentially in years to come. The speed and impact of e-mail and other communication technology is making the world smaller and bringing professionals closer together. Professionals who years ago would not have answered networking calls from job seekers are either watching their colleagues use this tool or are networking themselves. Yes, some professionals are giving job seekers the cold shoulder, but they are in the minority.

What is Networking?

Networking is defined in Merriam Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, Tenth Edition as "the exchange of information or services individuals, groups, or institutions." The Eleventh Edition may well expand the definition as follows:

The prospect of changing jobs can be daunting, even for the most intrepid professionals. However, networking is not about gaining the confidence to call strangers and ask for a job. Networking is about collecting information, educating yourself about employment opportunities, and increasing your list of professional contacts who may be aware of employment opportunities and informing them of your potential availability.

It is also a numbers game, and it is one you can win. The more people you contact, the higher the odds that you will gain access and exposure to a new career opportunity. But to network successfully, you must communicate clearly and effectively so that you leave a good impression with every contact you make.

Networking is time consuming. Your success depends on personal commitment, dedication, and thorough follow-up. You must be prepared to devote at least one hour every day to your personal business task of finding a new job.

Above all, you must be prepared to encounter nonproductive calls. In baseball, the best batter on any team is successful only three out of ten times at bat. Like the batter, you must step up to the plate at every opportunity, pay attention to the ball in play, and try to make the hit. The people most successful at networking are those who view it as both a challenge and a game and are willing to persevere to achieve success.

What Tools Do You Need?

The tools you use to network are as important as networking itself. They are the tangible investments that reflect your dedication to exploring career opportunities and your ability to navigate in an increasingly complex business environment.

 Telephone Communication

A busy signal does not indicate to return callers that you are an important person. It indicates that you are not keeping abreast of new technology. Since you do not want to miss a call, voice mail is a must. If you are networking from home, consider establishing separate voice mailboxes for your personal and business calls. If you use an answering machine, be sure to eliminate all background noise. Be sure your voice mail message is short, clear and professional.

A system that alerts you immediately if you have a stored message is not essential but desirable. If your system does not offer this feature, check your messages often. Return missed calls immediately. Your skill at following up on telephone calls is the first indicator of your ability to work quickly and efficiently. Since most professionals return calls at specific times during the business day, a missed call returned quickly may mean the difference between speaking to someone who will be willing to help you and playing a losing game of phone tag.

Although many people use cell phones for business, using a cell phone as your primary source of communication is less reliable than a landline. The degradation in sound, background noises, and irregular or intermittent connections does not convey the professionalism of a phone call placed from a private location. The concentration needed for successful networking is also hard to achieve when you are dodging traffic or driving down the highway at 60 miles an hour. By all means, use a cell phone as a backup, but call your contacts when you are in a reliable cellular area.

E-mail

A permanent personal e-mail account with a reputable Internet Service Provider (ISP) such as America Online, Earthlink, or Microsoft Network is an essential networking tool. Although we do not endorse a specific ISP, we recommend these companies because we think they provide consistent service and will remain in business despite the volatile technology market.

Make sure your ISP’s service is easy to use and provides good technical support. Make sure your e-mail program transmits attachments, such as your resume, quickly and easily. Most important, make sure your e-mail address is businesslike and allows contacts to identify you readily.

Contact Management System

A system to keep track of each contact’s information can be as simple as a notebook and a 3" X 5" index card file or as complex as a Palm Pilot equipped with sophisticated contact management software. Be sure to record the person's full name, title, address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address. Note the information obtained from your conversation while it is fresh in your mind. This information will be critical to the success of your follow-up activities.

Resume

A well-written, well-designed resume is your advertisement for an interview. Make sure it is clear, concise, and accurate. Ask someone whose professional opinion you value but who does not know you well to review your resume and provide objective feedback.

The accepted standard for a resume is no more than two pages containing your professional experience in reverse chronological order (figure 2). Deviations from this format may very well dilute your message.

Figure 2. Sample Resume

Note: Never reveal personal information such as marital status or children.

If your professional experience encompasses several areas, and you feel you may qualify for a variety of positions, consider developing several resumes. Each should focus on a specific functional area.

Can You Improve Communications?

A consistent, professional image is essential; therefore, make sure your written communications reflect well on you.

Avoid the Pitfalls of Poor Design

The best word-processing program in the world cannot correct the poor impressions made by spelling and grammatical errors. If you need writing assistance, ask someone with excellent writing and proofreading skills to review your correspondence. Their comments, suggestions, and corrections will help ensure that your communications are clear, meaningful and accurate.

Although it is tempting to use all the bells and whistles provided in a word-processing program, stick to the basics. Avoid unusual fonts and clip art. Use color only if you are confident in your sense of design and are sure the colors will print or transmit electronically as you intended. If the program provides templates for resumes (figure 2), cover letters and letterheads, use them without changing them too much. These templates have been designed by professionals for use by professionals like you. When you feel confident with your ability to use the program for your advancement, consider creating templates for follow-up letters that you can tailor to your immediate circumstances. You will save time and trouble when you begin printing your work.

Present a Professional Product

The finished look of your written work can also make a good or bad impression. Invest in a good quality bond paper and matching envelopes in beige or white for all your communications. Print return address labels with the same typeface used on your letterhead. If you do not own a laser printer, take your work to a print service provider.

Use a white 10" X 12" envelope to transmit your resume without folds and creases. You may want to add a "Personal and Confidential" notation stamped in red on the front of the envelope. This notation may help you avoid internal screening processes and place your resume on the desk of someone in a position to help you achieve your goals.

If you send your resume as an e-mail attachment, test the e-mail before sending it to the intended recipient by sending it to a friend or trusted colleague. Have the tester open the attachment and make sure it converts and prints properly.

How Do You Network?

Open your contact management system, Rolodex, or stack of business cards. Make a list of people to call–friends, professional colleagues, former supervisors, vendors and social contacts. Everyone is a potential source of information or additional contacts. Do not be biased; use them all.

Develop the Right Contacts

If you do not belong to a professional organization relevant to your field, consider joining one. These colleagues can be excellent sources for leads, contacts and moral support.

Another great source for leads and contacts can be found through employee-referral programs. Many companies offer their employees cash and other incentives for referring job candidates. These programs create win-win situations for you, your contact and your contact’s company.

Send the Right Message

Develop clear and concise messages to deliver directly or indirectly. Develop separate messages for the people you know personally and those you do not. If you are delivering a message because of a referral from someone, be sure to refer to the person who suggested that you call.

Do not be afraid to state that you are networking to pursue a new career opportunity. When you introduce yourself to contacts you do not know personally, say, "I am…" instead of "My name is…." The statement "I am…" is more powerful and demonstrates self-confidence.

Your time with any contact is limited. Take time in advance to develop a short message about your career experience and the opportunities of interest to you. Use empowering words such as successful, accomplished, driven, implemented, skilled, experienced, leader and team oriented.

Make the First Call

This call is your opportunity to introduce yourself and announce your availability. If you do not know the person you are calling, explain how you got their name and why you are calling. If the contact is too busy to talk to you, try to schedule another time to call. If the contact is resistant, do not pressure him or her. Thank the contact for his or her time, even if you believe the contact cannot help you in your present situation. The busy contact of today may be your ally tomorrow.

If the contact is willing to talk to you, thank them again and deliver your short speech about your background and interests (figure 3).

Figure 3. A Sample Script for a First Call

If you receive a positive response and the contact tells you about an opening, offer to send a resume to the contact and ask: "Who else should I contact to pursue this opportunity?"

If the contact does not know, ask for the name of the vice president in charge of the specific functional area. Contacting the functional decision maker directly often yields more results than pursuing other avenues of inquiry.

If the contact is not aware of specific opportunities and is receptive, increase your network of potential referrals by asking a series of open-ended questions. Open-ended questions often persuade the contact to give you information. Questions designed to elicit a "yes" or "no" answer will most likely produce a "no" (figure 4). 

Figure 4. Sample Open-Ended Questions

Ask your questions slowly and wait for the contact's responses. Give the contact time to analyze and answer the questions.

End the call by sincerely thanking the contact for his or her time and refer again to the person who suggested that you call. For example, you may want to say, "I'll be sure to tell John you said hello. When you hear of an opportunity or think of any additional networking contacts that I should make, please give me a call at [area code] [number] or drop me an email. My email address is on my resume."

 

What Are Your Next Steps?

Record the information from your call in your contact management system. Contact all referrals gained from the first call. Be sure to leave clear personal or voice mail messages.

Follow Up on Calls

Send the initial contact a typed letter that contains specific results from contacting each lead the contact provided. The letter might be written as follows:

Maintain Your Connection

Wait four days and call the contact as promised.

Persist and Return The Favor?

Do not stop networking until you find the position that is right for you. When you find a new position, send a thank-you note to each person in your network and give each one your new contact information.

After you find the right position, continue networking. You may not be looking for a job, but others may be in the same position you were only a short time ago. Take time out of your busy day to answer a networking call made to you. Networking depends on the courtesy and reciprocity given by busy professionals like you every day.

Good Luck!