by Amy Levin-Epstein
Trying to squeeze business opportunity out of this economy is an arduous task at best. And as job numbers remain shakier than the Pacific Rim, the term "it's who you know" is more relevant than ever for career development.
“Networking is something you should continually be doing,” says Ronn Torossian, CEO of the New York City-based 5W Public Relations firm. “It’s kind of like dating. Until you’re married, you always have to be dating. And when you’re married, you’re working on your relationship.” That means networking can’t be something you put on a to-do list and check off once a month, and it needn’t be scheduled. “I was sitting next to this woman while having a pedicure and we started talking,” recalls Ross Ellis, CEO of Love Our Children USA, a national nonprofit working to break the cycle of violence against children and a New York City real estate agent with Halstead Property. One thing led to another, and soon Ellis had a speaking engagement for her charity: “She was a teacher and I asked her if she had a lot of bullying in her school.” Sounds simple, but rub new contacts the wrong way and your network will shrink, not expand. Here’s how to become an expert networker, without ever being annoying, or worse, looking desperate:
1. Nurture Your Network ... Patiently The key to good networking is distinguishing it from, say, asking for a job, a contact, or Hannah Montana tickets for your daughter. “Networking by definition means talking to people when you don’t need something,” says Peter Shankman, founder of HARO, a resource that connects small businesses with journalists. “Some people walk into a party, throw 50 business cards around and then leave. I call them business-card ninjas.” Keeping in touch is crucial, he adds — so that when you need someone, a follow-up isn’t like an initial meeting. “I got this random e-mail six months after I met someone, saying ‘Hey, I’m looking for a job,’” says Shankman of one tactless attempt at networking. His response: “I’m only hearing from you when you need something?” You should also keep your online profile active; you never know who’s watching. While freelancing in media relations, Sarah Bottoms started posting successful media placements for clients on her LinkedIn page, which was viewed by her network of 400 people — including a former colleague. “She eventually referred me for a full-time position at Vidicom, a broadcast PR firm where I now work as a media relations specialist,” says Bottoms.
2. Ask How You Can Help How can you avoid looking impatient?
To paraphrase JFK: Ask first not what your contact can do for you, but what you can do for your contact. Not only is it polite to ask about the other person, but asking about them will send the signal that you have a peer-peer relationship, not a mentor-student one. Better yet, help that person — it’s good karma, and they will want to return the favor. “Networking is about finding a win-win situation for all the parties involved in the connection,” says Ellen Whitehurst, a Virginia Beach writer and feng shui expert. “Anything else is usually called a favor.” Plus, focusing on the other person may help you get into a more substantive conversation. Not quite sure how to start? “Everyone you meet, you should make it a goal to let them talk. Find out what they do, what they need, long before you start talking or touting yourself,” Shankman suggests. READ ALL 5 TIPS HERE
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