Ever-increasing Circles

Sydney Morning Herald

Saturday September 27, 2008

Kristie Kellahan

Effective job networking is easier than you might think, writes Kristie Kellahan.

They say it's not what you know but who you know. Nowhere is that more true than in developing your career where being familiar with the right people can land you your next great job or help you shimmy up the ladder in your current gig.

Networking isn't hard but you do need to make a conscious effort to get it right. Try following the advice of these experts:

THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL

Always start networking within your inner circle, which may be much wider than you think, says global networking specialist Robyn Henderson. If you're looking to change jobs or develop new skills, talk to people you trust, including your family, friends, friends of friends, neighbourhood contacts and industry colleagues. "You can be much more frank with people you know really well," Henderson says. "You can come right out and say, 'I want to move into a role in finance but I'm not sure I have all the skills required: what would you recommend I do?', rather than putting on your best face in front of a recruiter."

FOLLOW UP

The No. 1 key to good networking is to follow up, says Melissa Brauer, franchisee with the Coaching Institute and leadership coach. "So many people exchange business cards at a function and then sit back and wait for the phone to ring," she says. "You have to follow up. You're not going to get the job or new business or contact by filing their business card in your top drawer."

Brauer advises sending an email or phoning your new contact on the same day or next day after meeting. Suggest catching up for a coffee so you can chat further to see if there are any ways to work together. "There's no risk or investment in meeting for a coffee and a great working relationship can often develop from there," she says.

BUILD RELATIONSHIPS

Always express your appreciation when people go out of their way to pass on a job tip or introduce you to new contacts, Henderson says. "It's so easy to get busy and move onto the next thing without stopping to pick up the phone and thank someone for thinking of you," she says. "Finding a great job can be a jigsaw puzzle with one tip leading on to another, and so on, until you find the right fit. Even if the tip you were given doesn't prove fruitful, always thank the person who gave it."

Make sure you stay top of mind with all of your contacts by sincerely expressing thanks and returning the favour whenever possible. "I often introduce people to each other if I think there might be a way for them to benefit from meeting," she says.

Henderson says she advises job seekers to pen letters thanking interviewers for their time, even when they are unsuccessful. "It's a great way to be remembered and add contacts to your network," she says.

GO ONLINE

Today's career networking is all about being seen in the right online circles, says Grahame Doyle, NSW director of the recruitment firm Hays. "In terms of serious job hunting and furthering your career, we see the online forum as a valid and modern way of keeping your name out in the market," he says.

Online networking is a way to show a different side of yourself to potential employers and colleagues: just be careful what you reveal. Doyle praises professional sites such as Linkedin as a way to "build profile" but he says there is a clear demarcation between social and business networks.

"A lot of the details you might reveal on a site like Facebook might not be a good idea from a career perspective," he says.

Of the more conventional networking forums, Doyle favours industry groups and even sporting clubs attached to professional associations.

"Getting to know colleagues through the healthy competition of sports can create broader and deeper relationships than would normally be achieved in an office setting," he says.

BE YOURSELF

The most effective networkers have the confidence to be themselves, Brauer says. "When connecting with people they'll soon pick up if you're not being true to yourself and honest about who and what you are," she says. "Remember networking is about building good relationships. They help to create successful careers and businesses."

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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