Networking For Nice People
So, you’ve perfected your elevator pitch and polished your resume until it is shinier than a brand new paperweight, now it is time for the hard part…networking. While it is perhaps the most hated word in a job seeker’s lexicon, it is still a crucial hurdle whenever anyone is trying to find a new job. Fortunately, it is possible to be a good networker, without feeling like a used car salesman.
The first step in becoming more comfortable with this basic necessity is a shift in perspective. “What I tell people is that they are just getting their name out there and getting to know people,” says Robyn Crigger, CEO of the Richmond career coaching firm OI Partners. “They should relax because they aren’t so much selling themselves as they are introducing themselves.”
Networking events, which are cropping up all over the place, are some of the most difficult places to feel comfortable networking since there are no pretenses about why everyone is there. Rita Ricks, a local life coach and author of the book "Permission Granted! A Journal of Spiritual Epiphanies", says to go into any networking event with the goal of finding at least five leads before you leave. “You should be laser-sharp in trying to locate people. Shy people will end up talking to people they already know.”
These types of situations are where that all important elevator pitch is going to get the most airtime, but in order to be effective it has to be versatile enough to make several different recruiters pay attention. Of course the more research you can do about each company’s openings beforehand, the better you look to a recruiter. But, even if you don’t know much about the organization or their hiring needs you can still start a conversation off with, “Tell me more about your group’s work” as a way in. If it looks like that company isn’t going to have what you are looking for it is completely acceptable to use an exit line such as, “Thank you for your time, now I have to keep moving,” says Ricks.
Ricks also tells her clients to get each contact’s business card and write a few notes about your conversation on the back. “Tell them you will follow up with them later in the week. Having a timeline is important so they know to expect your call,” says Ricks. She also brings up a subtle point that can make a huge difference: the placement of the nametag. While it sounds so insignificant, it can actually smooth out that initial few seconds at the beginning of a conversation. It should go on your right side so that when you shake hands with someone it is in his or her line of sight. “Men especially just hook it on their left pocket and no one can see it,” she says.
Networking has gotten a bad rap, but it is going to stick around as long as it serves a purpose. Start with baby steps, such as friends and family members, and then branch out to former employees or colleagues. A final step in the networking game is reaching out to human resources contacts at companies you would like to learn more about. A cold call, or email, is not as painful as it sounds. After all, the worst they can say is no.
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