Networking 101 - It's Not All About You!

I'm sure you've heard the phrase “It's not what you know, but who you know.” In today's world of record breaking high unemployment statistics, getting to know influential people, is a good thing. Networking is indeed a key to getting a great job, but not for the reasons you might expect.

If you've never been to a networking event before, wouldn't know what to say if you did attend one, or went to one and left early because you were bored out of your mind, read on. There is indeed a happy ending to this particular story.

A year ago I was invited to attend a large networking event. I pictured a room full of stuffy people, wearing conservative black suits, eating tiny finger sandwiches and drinking red wine. I couldn't possibly imagine how I'd fit in, let alone “network” about anything. I was nervous. (For those of you that have ever met me, or come within a 50 mile radius, you know I'm not shy or the nervous type. Not even a little.) When I mentioned to a colleague how nervous I was, he gave me one of the best (albeit uninvited) pieces of advice I have ever received;

“Just remember. It's not all about you.”

(We'll come back to that later...)

First, if you took that same picture of those stuffy people drinking wine and showed it to my 16 year old daughter and asked her to describe what she saw, she'd say something like “It looks like a bunch of old people, hangin' out.” So, there you go. Networking is just “hangin' out”. Really. It is. If someone tells you that you need to network to find a job, just think of it as finding an excuse to get to know people that you wouldn't normally socialize with. They could be members of your local church or union. They could be members of the PTA, a professional society, club, or hall.

I have to admit though, one of my favorite web sites for meeting new people, is http://www.meetup.org/. If you like knitting, writing, eating, drinking, bike riding, climbing, hiking, reading or....dare I say...networking; you'll find literally dozens of men and women in your town who meet on a regular basis and do whatever it is that you love to do.

Networking made easy.

Who'd thunk?

Second, (and getting back to my friend's advice) go with the perspective that you are there to meet other people and discover how you can help THEM. Listen. Ask questions. See if you can help them advance THEIR careers, find a babysitter, find equipment they need for their hobby, or something even as simple as finding a new restaurant or coffee to try. If you happen to be less than outgoing, this really works because the pressure of being talkative is lifted, while you just listen and offer your help or advice.

Lastly, don't forget your business card! Yup, even if you're unemployed you should have a business card that says, simply; Your Name / Cell Phone Number / Email Address. The people you meet will remember you and will probably want to follow up with you to ask more about your advice or to thank you. (By the way, writing your phone number on a cocktail napkin is tacky...and soooo 1980's)

Tip of the Day:

Go to: http://www.vistaprint.com/ 

For around $5 you can get 250 business cards shipped to you, in less than a week.

And, don't pay for the expedited shipping.

I always get mine in 5 – 7 days without paying the extra money.

But, wait, how does networking help you find a job?

Expanding your social circle, meeting new people, developing relationships outside your comfort zone, and having resources to draw on when you need them is invaluable...in life, in parenting, and even in job hunting.

A few months ago, those new friends that I met at that big stuffed suit networking event, invited me to go to Vegas. So there you go. You never know where new networking contacts might lead you, maybe to your next job, or maybe to Vegas.....