Is Networking Dead?

By Robin Ryan
www.robinryan.com

News Flash: 63% of people hired in the last year found their job through contacts, 90% of top executives said networking was important to their career rise in a CEO survey we conducted in 2002, 68% listed networking as very important. No one said it didn't matter.

You must learn to network if you want your career to prosper. Ed, an aerospace engineer, had no network to speak of and belonged to no professional or civic organizations. When the layoff hit Boeing, he had a difficult time. He told me, "I guess I really was remiss about developing a network. It didn't seem important. I wish I'd done it, because now I don't know how to start."

He tried a few colleagues, neighbors and friends. I suggested he contact his college's alumni office to see if they had an alumni network in place that might help him. They did. A few alums offered to pass on his resume, which led him to getting a terrific new job with Motorola.

Rachel, on the other hand, was a "Networking Queen." An executive director for a Northwest association, she generously helped everyone who knocked on her door. She also made professional friends as well as contacts. Twice she's been approached by colleagues asking her to apply for a position, when she wasn't even looking for a new job. Both times, she landed the job. Rachel's ongoing networking kept her visible - she was someone people thought of when they needed to hire a person in her capacity. Here are some tips for you to implement.

Start your contact list by listing everyone you DO know.

Colleagues, former employees, school friends, former bosses, friends, neighbors, family, association executives - anyone you can think of. One client said she got an interview with the President of ABC News because her mother and the president's mother spend their winters together in the same Florida condominium complex and know each other. Never underestimate where a great connection might come from. A retired 65 year old grandma seemed like an unlikely source for meeting top notch business contacts - but for this client she was! Remember, everyone knows someone and it just may be that someone who can be of the most help to you.

Be Savvy and Prepared

To utilize your contacts effectively, don't approach any until you are ready. A common mistake is to frantically call everyone you've ever met and say "I'm looking for a job - do you know of one?" Huge error! When you're not prepared you often aren't articulating the specific job title, company, or kind of company you want to work for. Don't waste the networking opportunity until you are prepared. That means having a resume that's the best marketing advertisement of your skills, past successes and abilities.

Know what to ask, and have a 30 second history that will define for the contact the level of responsibility and duties you are qualified to perform. Ask if they know of anyone who works at the list of companies you're interested in. Inquire about the company's reputation, the "inside scoop" so to speak. And ask for referrals - people they know that you should contact or other companies you should investigate.

Always Send a Handwritten Thank You Note

Emails don't count. Handwritten notes are almost a lost art, so sending this kind of personal communication gives the contact a very positive image of you.

Robin Ryan is the best selling author of: 60 Seconds & You're Hired!; Winning Resumes; Winning Cover Letters, and What to Do with the Rest of Your Life and has appeared on Oprah, Dr Phil, NBC Nightly News, CNN, CNBC and is considered America's most popular career coach. She offers individual career consulting, resume writing, and interview coaching services. Contact her at 425.226.0414 or email: RobinRyan@aol.com. Sign up for her free career e-newsletter at: www.robinryan.com.

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Revised: 2008-05-29T01:30:58-0700