Work Your Network

If you want to make it to the top, you need a network. Who do you know? What can they offer? How can your skills complement each other and create something even better than either of you could do on your own? All these are valid questions if networking is something that's new to you.

A while ago I read an article that suggested "working" as opposed to "networking". It said that when people network, they generally present all their goodies upfront and never talk about anything personal. Instead, the author suggested starting with a three-minute chat in which both parties revealed something about themselves before moving into more traditional business talk. It seemed like a good idea to me. I know you're probably not going to talk about your dog, or your state of health, or your sexual preferences all at once in a business setting, but it's no big deal to start with that.

Sure enough, I found an article yesterday on why networking is not the same as "working". The fact that people are afraid of it comes through loud and clear. There's a section of the article where one man complains saying "you can't just show up and expect to build a career." He goes on to say "you have to be smart and you have to be able to look after yourself in this environment. That's what I do."

Interesting. So, he's a really good networker because he can look after himself and has the self confidence to make things happen on his own, without having to rely on anyone else. I'd say that's pretty impressive.

Another woman is quoted saying "it's about discovering what resources you have and matching them up with people you need to know, who have the skills to do things for you." She continues "it takes putting yourself out there and taking risks, but surely we are all meant to be walking around with a sellable skill or two?" That pretty much wraps up that article in my mind – don't fear networking. You already have everything you need. It's all about how you're going to use it.

Consider your friends, colleagues and other people who you surround yourself with each day. Are they all like you? Do they do the things that you do, dream the dreams that you dream, want the things that you want? No way! It's safe to say that there are people out there in your life who can offer something different than what you have to offer, or who can help get what it is that you need. What's more, if you look hard enough and work your network, there are probably a few people out there who have specific knowledge of what it is that YOU need.

The way that you do that is by first focusing on the things that you have, on the people that you know, and on your capabilities. The more of these things you show people, and the more they see in you and the things that you say, is the more they will want to share their knowledge with YOU. You start by networking with people who can offer skills or resources to help YOU build YOUR network. Next, once you've made some friends within your network (people who are also looking for skills or resources), focus on taking care of them. The more they know you and trust you, the better your chances are of having them decide to share their knowledge and resources with you.

The key is to avoid the feeling that you have to hand over your life story in order for a relationship to work. That's not true. Think about people who are already in your network, or who have endorsed or recommended you for a job. How do they describe you? What do they say about your skills and abilities? People rarely go into detail about that unless it's something really special, but if it's important to them then I'd bet my lunch money that there are people out there who would be happy to help you in exchange for the same kind of feedback.

So, instead of asking someone for a job or to use their knowledge for you, consider something more subtle like sending them a link to a blog post that you wrote, or sharing an article with them that they might like. If I get time in the future and meet someone who is looking to get a job at my company, I'm going to send him a link to this post.

I'm not saying that you should only network with people who have some kind of obvious connection to your goal. The truth is that there are people out there who can offer skills and resources which are not on your radar, but you need one of them anyway. I think it's important to recognise these people, and how they can help you, or how you can help them. You will never really know who they are until you look past the surface, but there's no harm in finding out now so that both of you understand what the other wants. Start by working your network.

Happy Networking!

Chris Clarke is a writer for The Hubris Academy. He writes about business strategies and business culture on his blog HBR Blog Network athttp://hubrisbaedon.com/blog/. He started his career as an entrepreneur and has held senior positions in Marketing Operations, Business Development, Strategy and Project Management. Chris is currently a partner at Digital Consulting (http://www.digitalconsulting.co.uk/) a digital marketing communications and technology business. Chris is also a former Entrepreneur in Residence for Midlands Chamber of Commerce, and a mentor for the National College for Digital Marketing. Follow Chris athttp://twitter.com/hbrblognetwork or on Google+

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About the author:

Chris Clarke is a writer for The Hubris Academy – http://thehubrisacademy.com/. He writes about business strategies and business culture on his blog HBR Blog Network at http://hubrisbaedon.com/blog/. He started his career as an entrepreneur and has held senior positions in Marketing Operations, Business Development, Strategy and Project Management. Chris is currently a partner at Digital Consulting (http://www.digitalconsulting.co.uk/) a digital marketing communications and technology business. Chris is also a former Entrepreneur in Residence for Midlands Chamber of Commerce, and a mentor for the National College for Digital Marketing. Follow Chris at http://twitter.com/hbrblognetwork or on Google+ http://gplus.to/hbrblog

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Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: career advice, Chris Clarke, how to build a network, networking, networking skills | Comments Off on How To Build A Network – Networking For Jobseekers And Career Changers (Part 2) by Chris Clarke, The Hubris Academy http://thehubrisacademy.

Conclusion:

If you want to find out more about networking, check out my other Hubris Academy Networking For Jobseekers And Career Changers series. (Part 1) and (Part 3). I also have a whole host of articles on my blog that are related to networking and keeping in touch with people.

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