What do NYWICI, your friends, or your church have in common? Each one has a network of people that could connect you to your next job or business opportunity. Whether you are starting a business or changing jobs, or are a mom looking to return to work, networking has become essential for everything from generating business to uncovering the hidden job market. CONNECT interviewed a few NYWICI members and some experts who have spoken at NYWICI events to get their advice on networking.
“Networking is not asking for a job,” says Carla Visser, founder of Global Human Resources Solutions LLC. “It’s a circle of reciprocity – people helping each other.”
Mistina Bates, a NYWICI board member who has her own marketing business, agrees. “I try to bring my network of people to the table to see how I can help those I meet even if they can’t help me right away,” she says.
Liz Lynch, founder of Networking Excellence, sees networking as more than exchanging business cards. “It is about asking for advice, as it is easy to give and get,” she says. Alexandra Duran, principal and founder of Career Transitioning and a NYWICI member, doesn’t like the word networking. “I prefer to view it as building relationships,” she admits.
NYWICI member Julie Robinson-Tingue, who handles PR for Progressive Marketing Group and is a mother of two, found her current job through relationship building. “I met a colleague back in 1999 and kept in touch with him on and off throughout the years,” she says. She reconnected with him earlier this year while she was taking time off to be with her family and to reevaluate her career. “I now have a great job that gives me the flexibility to be with my family,” she says.
Typical networking takes place at events hosted by professional, industry, or alumni associations, but Visser also suggests looking beyond these conventional outlets. “You can network anywhere, like at the gym or at sport events, basically with whomever you come into contact with on a daily basis,” she says. For those looking to return to work, the process doesn’t have to be challenging. “Stay on the forefront of your industry, remember all the relationships you have developed, and tap into them,” says Duran.
Successful networking involves staying in touch. “Find a reason to follow-up with people – perhaps you have information to share that they might find useful,” says Lynch. Visser suggests checking-in with someone a week after meeting. In situations where it is a face-to-face meeting, Visser recommends sending a thank you note. “I make it a point to check in with people either on a quarterly basis or two times a year,” says Robinson-Tingue. She also advises against stalking someone. “I was approached by a writer for help and said I would see what I could do,” Robinson-Tingue explains. The writer harassed her by calling or emailing her twice a week for three months. Robinson-Tingue eventually told him to stop as he was sabotaging his own efforts.
Networking is about taking control and being proactive. Duran sums it up best, “Whoever prepares the best, wins.”
Recommended Books:
Networking Magic by Rick Frishman and Jill Lublin
Work It by Allison Hemming
Websites:
Liz Lynch:
www.networkingexcellence.com
Carla Visser
www.ghrsonline.com
Alexandra Duran
www.alexandraduran.com
Five O’Clock Club
www.fiveoclockclub.com (Offers services and books helpful for finding a job.)
LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com (Networking site for professionals to search for and connect with former co-workers and classmates.)
Freelancers Union
www.freelancersunion.org (Conducts seminars and networking events.)
Trade Show News Network
www.tsnn.com (TSNN's event database lists more than 15,000 trade shows, exhibitions, public events, and conferences all over the world.)
Bernardo's List
www.bernardoslist.com (Lists networking events by city.)
WeHabitat
www.wehabitat.com (A site where women entrepreneurs can network.)
NETWORKING IN PERSON: 5 TIPS
By Ginny Pulos
This article was first published in NYWICI's print newsletter CONNECT in Spring 2009
President Harry S. Truman once quipped, “It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose yours.” We all know the bad news. The good news is that there are more tools available today to help people connect than ever before. Yet even with help from online tools (see page 12), networking is still a face-to-face job. So chin up. You can keep a position, move ahead or land a new job even in today’s unnerving economic climate. Here are five tips.
1. Develop stories to tell about yourself. I recently coached someone who hated speaking about herself. I suggested that she ask a client, good friend, boss and co-worker to tell her via email what they know and like about her — and why they value her. Reviewing the responses, we saw certain recurring words — leader, go-getter, ethical. I asked her why people used these words to describe her, and we uncovered the stories around those words. Then we honed the stories so she could relate them effortlessly. Last week, she was offered her dream job and said she’d never have succeeded in the interview process without those stories. Moral? Perfect stories to tell confidently about yourself — andinsert them when you believe they will entertain people, assist them with a problem or help them get to know you.
2. Make your stories brief. Be sure to tell about a person, engage an emotion and end on a high note. For instance, I often tell people that when I started my business, in another down market, I felt as though natives were chasing me toward some cliffs and sharks were swimming below. So I held my nose, took a dive and outswam the sharks! This vignette usually leads to a conversation about being scared, taking risks, overcoming pitfalls and gaining the strength to go for it. Stories that create pictures and invoke positive emotions make us memorable.
3. Think fun and be friendly. If you’ve lost your job, you haven’t lost your identity — you’re still a superb editor, an amazing PR executive, the most creative ad woman this side of Mars — so introduce yourself in the present tense. Not I was, but I am! Then tell people what you believe is the right next step on your career path. But don’t take yourself too seriously. I can say I’m president of a speech, media and training consultancy that helps your CEO look and sound like Cary Grant or Audrey Hepburn in the media spotlight. Or, I can say I’m a third-generation Greek-American who had her own Big Fat Greek Wedding in Greece. Use your imagination to be memorable and engaging — and open the path toward a friendship.
4. Be aware of your nonverbal behavior. People make instant judgments about us in the first seven seconds we meet, so if you have energy, you create impact. Are you frightened, desperate, depressed, down? Alter your state of mind in a nanosecond with this little trick that’s silly but effective and fun. Before meeting someone, play the “Ms. America” or “Rocky” theme in your head as you walk into the room. While you’re feeling as if you have the world at your feet or just conquered Mount Everest, take in the energy of the room. Then engage.
5. Do your homework. If you’d like to meet someone specific, call everyone you know to practice your own “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.” Contact friends or colleagues who might be willing to introduce you. It’s a great excuse to connect, talk about goals and ask for what you need. Be patient. Ask gently. All the energy in the universe is bound to assist you. Meanwhile, get familiar with your target person’s outlook and interests. By now, we all know about Obama’s passion for key issues and also about his hobbies — basketball, family, reading, staying connected via BlackBerry and housebreaking puppies. See? We could engage him easily.
Networking can happen anywhere — in the grocery store, at a child’s softball game, even on the subway. When I found myself lost in Forest Hills recently before I could get off a diverted train, I asked a young woman for help. As we settled in for the ride back toward Manhattan, I learned that she was looking for an entrée into the nonprofit world. I suggested she contact a New York Women in Communications colleague to ask for guidance. Within two weeks, she not only got inside the door, she got a great job.
Networking is best when it’s a way of life. We get back what we give. Through consistent acts of friendship and generosity, we can ensure our own future viability and our resilience in any economy.
Ginny Pulos is president of Ginny Pulos Communications, Inc., a speech and media consultancy, and adjunct professor at NYS’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies.
NYWICI NETWORKING TIPS
By Gail Griffin
This article was first published in NYWICI's print newsletter CONNECT in Spring 2009
Here are some ways NYWICI can help you network:
- Meet other members at our events. Introduce yourself to NYWICI staff or board members, identified by ribbons on their nametags, if you need a place to start.
- Use our Member Directory on nywici.org to find women in specific fields or at specific companies.
- Join NYWICI’s LinkedIn group (linkedin.com/groups?gid=967217) and participate in discussions, ask for feedback and make contacts.
The 15-Second Pitch: You’ve Met 40 People. Now What?
By Tekla Szymanski
This article was first published in NYWICI's print newsletter CONNECT in Spring 2009
While networking in 2002, Laura Allen noticed that few people knew how to present themselves succinctly — and the idea for her company, 15SecondPitch, was born. The company has grown into an endeavor that’s more than 13,600 members strong, with more than 17,300 member pitches filed online at 15secondpitch.com.
Do you know how to make a lasting impression fast? First, says Laura, you want to create a pitch for every niche you can serve, and put it out there. If people don’t know exactly what you do, they won’t connect to you. Don’t focus on the past, say what you do now, and include:
- Who you are (full name, title or tagline)
- What you do (be very specific)
- Why you’re the best go-to person in your field
- What action you would like people to take next
Try to connect a new contact to someone you already know; helping others will help you in the long run. People will remember you. But keep an A-list of clients to whom you’ll introduce only a very few, trusted people. Establishing credibility takes time. People don’t trust someone they have just met. Find a reason to follow up with your new connections regularly. Stroke their ego, send them relevant material. Build your network diligently and be honest in what you are willing to give and deliver. And realize that sometimes connections can also dry up.
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