The Lion’s Pride: Networking - Myths and Truisms

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The Lion’s Pride: Networking

Myths and Truisms

My clients surprise me when they shy away from networking. "Shy" away is what they do, in fact. They fear it.

Most fears, though, can be eliminated by knowledge. The fear of networking is no different. So let's discuss a few networking myths and truisms.

Networking is difficult.
Myth. You network anytime you're introduced to someone or meet someone new. You're even networking when you run into someone you know at the grocery store. You shake hands, exchange greetings and smile. You engage in small talk.

Social networking is not unlike networking for business or your work search. You exchange a little more focused information, true, but meeting people is meeting people. You do it all the time and you will continue doing it. That's not so hard, is it?

Networking seems so desperate.
Myth...and True. It's all in how you do it. If you plead for work or seem desperate, your networking - and indeed, your interviews - will suffer. If, however, you approach it like the professional you are, you will not come across as desperate.

It's that simple. Really. Yes, you want information, but you also have information. Networking is all about getting to know people and sharing information.

Networking gets a bad rap sometimes because of the bad apples - the ones who are only me, me, me. They are the takers and they are not doing it correctly.

Networking doesn't work that well.
Myth. As mentioned in an earlier post, 70% of all jobs are obtained by networking. It works EXCEEDINGLY well.

Networking is a lot of work.
True. But then, most worthwhile things are. You will get out of it exactly what you put into it. If you put in the work, you will get back to work.

Networking is takes too much time.
Myth. It does take time, but you are investing that time. You should spend the bulk of your job hunting time networking since the bulk of the jobs out there are obtained through networking. Don't look at it as time taken from looking for work; look at it as looking for work.

IN THE CARAVAN: Don't shy away from networking. It should be the cornerstone of your work search.

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Business Card Pack Rats / Gump-Style Networking / Becoming the Hub Increases Your Brand / Becoming the Hub II: Building Self-Feeding Buzz / Myths and Truisms / Grow Your Network - Go Where The Employers Are! / It's Not What You Know... / Always Be Prepared...Even If You're Not a Boy Scout / How to Make Six Degrees of Separation Work (Even If You're Not Kevin Bacon) / Marketing and Branding Yourself, Part I / Branding II: Your Website or Blog / Finding the Right Contact Person / Give a Little to Get a Little / Why Join Organizations? / First Contact With Mr. Smith, Part 1 / First Contact With Mr. Smith, Part 2: The Winning of The Sally / First Contact With Mr. Smith, Part 3: First Impressions / Asking Mr. Smith for Help, Part 1 / Asking Mr. Smith for Help, Part II: It's Not the Song, It's the Singer / Asking Mr. Smith for Help, Part III: Getting down to business / Networking at Job Fairs / Doing It On the Road / Networking Online / Getting Info From Sally & Co., Part I / Getting Info From Sally & Co., Part II: Asking The Right Questions / Networking Out of Town Part I: Laying the Foundation / Networking Out of Town Part II: Touring for Interviews / Working the Network by Feeding the Network / 'Running' Into Contacts / You Only Get What You Ask For / Press the Flesh II: Small Talk / Press the Flesh Like a Pro / Playing the Percentages / Fishing and the Right Bait / Shrek Style / Get Your Butterflies Flying In Formation / Discover Other People’s Passions / Double Dipping Doing Good / Overbooking Your Way to a New Job / Shaking the Branches of Your Family Tree / Working Your Reunion / Parents of Your Kids' Friends