Business Best Practices
Networking: What, Who, Why, How- Part 1
Sep 20, 2016
“Hi, my name is Jane I am, uhm, experienced in sales, and I think I would be of benefit to your company”
“Hello, Jane, why do you think that?”
“Well, I, uhm, I have experience in sales…”
“Hey, Mr. Smith, I am calling today to see if you might be interested in a new….” *CLICK*
“Hello? Mr. Smith?”
Don’t let your cold contact calls end up like this. It is time to ditch these awkward chats, and warm up to the idea of networking. While strong internet connections may vamp up your social networking skills, we won’t be talking about computer networks/ networking in this series. I’ll leave that to the IT guys.
Social and business networking is essentially your free, or low cost tool to direct marketing that does not require a marketing manager. It is simply connecting or interacting with others with the goal of exchanging contact information and, potentially, furthering or expanding your career opportunities.
Unless you just finished a marketing, business, or careers college course you may be wondering what networking really is or how it is any different from making sales calls, attending recruiting events, or adding people to your LinkedIn network. I assure you it does not always involve digital networks and/or awkward ice breaker conversations, though, social media and venturing outside your comfort zone will be helpful skills to have in today’s market. A social/ business network can be thought of as a web; a continuous connection between people with endless interconnections among all those in the web. The web is the idea that “everyone knows somebody that knows something about it.” It is through networking that we all build connections, which build connections, which open new doors to new opportunities.
If you are a job seeker; if you are a recruiter; if you are business owner; if you are active in any business environment you should be networking both for your company and for your personal brand. Whether you are trying to grow your career, land a new job, find top talent, build partnerships, or increase your target audience and gain customers you should be networking. Who you are and what your goals are, will determine the networking techniques that will bring you the most benefit or yield the greatest return.
In this next 4-week series, we will be breaking down and revamping your opinions about networking in order to promote an interconnected marketplace where top talent, recruiters, and companies no longer have a hard time finding one another. Our month long blog series will discuss the uses, techniques, and benefits to job seekers, recruiters, and companies.
At HireLevel we are always aiming higher. Whether you’re the one looking to hire a candidate, or are the one seeking an opportunity, we’re your go-to partner. Finding the right people is what we do best. Learn more about HireLevel, and how we place the right people at the right time to support the ever changing needs of workforce development.
Networking: How Jobs are Landing, Personal Brand- Part 2
Networking: Effective Networking Tips- Part 3
Networking: Finding Top Talent Through an Established Network- Part 4