The Number One Tool in Networking
Posted on January 19, 2013 by Jill Huggett, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.
Want to be a good networker, but don't know how? Try this number one tool to successful networking.
Everyone knows the key to successful career management is networking. However, many people don’t know where to begin. Networking is not about going to an event with 200 people and trying to work the room shaking hands and kissing babies. Networking is about people helping people. Simple as that.
So why is it most people are reluctant to engage in networking? I hear from many people that it is because they feel they aren’t good at it. I also hear that people feel guilty about asking for help. My next question is, have you ever helped anyone? How does it make you feel? The answer is yes, and good. When thinking about networking as people helping people, it becomes much more appealing.
This leads me to the number one tool for building a solid network and mastering it: Offer help. Start today by picking out three people in your network. Ask one job seeker how you can help. Ask a small business owner how you can promote their business. Congratulate another on a promotion or new job. This strategy takes very little time to do, yet has a big impact. And with your network at your fingertips through social media sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn, there’s no excuse not to find someone to reach out to.
By being proactive in offering help to someone in your network, you can benefit in two ways. You will feel great about having helped someone, and you will not feel guilty when it comes time for you to ask for help. Networking is a two way street but you have to be in the driver’s seat to unlock the amazing power of networking. So get on that road to building a productive network today. As you start to see the multitude of mutual benefit, it becomes a natural activity for you and one that is extremely rewarding.
