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Six Degrees of Success
Even if you dread networking, this month's article by TSA Career Coach Clair Miner, Ph.D., provides great tips on how to be successful at it. But why is networking so important?
You probably know the game that links any actor or actress to Kevin Bacon through six movies or less. It's a take-off on a real theory: each of us is linked to any other living person through a chain of no more than six people – or six degrees of separation.
Networking helps make each person in the chain aware of you and your goals, so you're much more likely to find opportunities for growth and success. They may even find you.
Read Clair's article, and pick up the phone or email the TSA Career Coaching Service to learn more about networking and many other powerful tools to help you succeed. |
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Networking Survival Guide
What to Do if You Dread Networking
By Clair Miner, Ph.D., TSA Career Coach
The word "networking" can be scary for some of us – especially for those of us who prefer spending time alone, avoid being in the spotlight, like to think things through before speaking an opinion, are more private, and tend to listen more than talk.
If this sounds like you, you may be an "introvert" and would rather have a tooth pulled than go to a networking function. You can verify your personality characteristics by taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator available to you through the TSA Career Coaching Service (click here to get started).
Why is networking important? Because networking expands the pool of people who can help us achieve our goals.
None of us can go it alone; we all need others whose wisdom, guidance, and information can aid us in such career objectives as finding out what skills we need to develop for a desired position, what organizations can help us meet other people in our chosen field, and what new positions are on the horizon.
Some of these people will be even more directly helpful, for example, presenting our resume to hiring managers or being a reference for us for a new position.
Given that networking is essential for successful career development, what can introverts do to make it easier? Here are a few tips:
- Change your view of networking from "asking for something" to "building a relationship." Be willing to help others in a reciprocal relationship. Communicate with people about the small things, not just the big things. This helps foster the relationship.
- Choose an event that has a time set aside for structured networking. Set a goal for the networking event (for example, meet and follow-up with at least two people). At the event, look for other people who seem uncomfortable and start a conversation; they are probably introverts also. Force yourself to sit next to someone you don't know.
- Prepare three conversation starters ahead of time (What do you do? Are you a member of this group? How long have you been a member?).
- Use email as a way to reach out to the people you know.
- Once a week, call three people just to say "hello." Ask nothing from them.
- Once a month, have lunch with someone you haven't seen recently.
- Begin your interaction with a compliment; be sincere.
- Prepare a networking script. Practice it until it sounds natural. Have a 30-second infomercial polished and rehearsed (who you are, your skills/accomplishments, what you're looking for). Prepare three "small talk" topics (current events, industry news, new movies or books).
- Work on making good eye contact.
- Set up one-on-one meetings (coffee shops, lunches).
- Network at your highest energy level time of day. If you can't control the time, take a 15-minute nap beforehand to conserve energy.
- Set a time limits for each interaction, including phone calls.
- Network online (email, LinkedIn, social networking sites, forums, newsgroups).
- Contact cold calls by letter first, then by phone. Consider asking another person to act as a go-between to ask the prospect if they'd mind being contacted by you. (Most people are willing and happy to help.)
- Decide how you can provide value to your contacts. Can you refer business to them? Send them information on a group they might like to join? Send them articles of interest? Be sure to express appreciation in the moment – and follow-up with a thank you note!
Now, recharge and reward yourself for a job well-done!
Submitted by Claire Miner, Ph.D., TSA Career Coach, Licensed Professional Counselor and "very clear" introvert.
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What Can Career Coaching Do For You?
TSA provides confidential individual career coaching assistance at no cost to TSA employees. The TSA Career Coaching Service can help you with writing resumes, preparing for interviews, and planning for career development.
The TSA Career Coaches are professional counselors who work with clients from a wide range of fields, and draw on their extensive training and experience in every aspect of career development to help you. Click here to learn more about them and their credentials.
Career Coaches can help you:
- Maximize your success by learning ways to increase your on-the-job productivity and reach your goals
- Develop a personal career plan based on your interests and goals
- Compete more successfully for advancement
- Seek constructive feedback from and work collaboratively with your supervisor, to implement approved developmental activities.
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