10 Rules of Effective Networking

It is difficult to write about something that people already know so much about. We all network all of the time. This is how we meet new people, find used textbooks, locate rides, buy used cars, find girlfriends and boyfriends.  Networking for employment is slightly different than what you are probably doing now. It is networking on steroids. Here are the 10 Rules of Effective Networking for college students looking for employment opportunities.

1). Track and record information. Build a paper or computer database of people you meet. Include the "business card" information like name, position, organization, telephone number, full address, e-mail but also more about who, what, where, how, and why. I use an organizer to track the names and information of my contacts but you can do it just as well on paper.

2). Reciprocity - you have to be as willing to help out someone else as you are to get their assistance. Otherwise you are just using people. In fact, spontanenously helping someone (a random act of kindness such as helping someone boost a car) can turn into a great opportunity to find out valuable information.

3). Be open and aware of networking opportunities. These can occur with a hair stylist, a bartender, a travel agent, a bus driver, and just about anyone else. In fact, people who work in high contact positions such as waitresses and barbers are often the best contacts for networking. They know other people who may be in a position to assist you.

4). The Zen rule of networking - the person who seems to have the least value to you will be the one who has the most value. One fascinating study showed that far more people found work through acquaintances than through friends and family (50% acquaintances and 10% friends and family). The remaining 40% were through traditional methods like answering ads, employment agencies and services, and direct contact.

5). Follow-up on the cross-links among your contacts. Every one knows about the Seven Degrees of Kevin Bacon. Any two people in North America are only separated by five to seven levels of friends of friends of friends. People reading this are probably only five levels of contacts (friends of friends of friends of friends of friends) away from Bill Clinton or Britney Spears. But these interconnections are not just going to happen by themselves - you need to do the work and try to make these connections happen.

6). A lot of this stuff is serendipity. Things seem random but it is weird how sometimes opportunities present themselves just when you need them - but you have to be ready to see them and use them.

7). Talking with people and asking questions are the key. First, you try to locate the kind of people who might be able to assist you. You can approach them directly or ask as many contacts of yours as possible who they might know who would be able to assist you. Then, you ask these contacts good, thoughtful questions that show that you have done some homework. What are the trends in the field, what skills and experiences are most valued, where were you in your career when you were my age, what do you see happening in this field over the next ten years. You start a dialogue and demonstrate yourself to be a motivated and responsible individual.

8). Networking is not the time to be shy - push yourself to be more extroverted. If you have to, pretend that you are an actor playing a role in a play. Your role is a confident and extroverted individual speaking with a contact who might be able to assist him or her with some information.

9). Using the Internet can open up entire new areas of networking. E-mail is particularly powerful as are listservs and chat groups for professional groups. Company web sites can help you to research organizations before you contact people. Online job listings can be very helpful.

10.) Networking is a process not a result in and of itself. You are not really looking for a job, you are looking for information. It is possible that the job may present itself, but the information and referrals to others are the real key.

Now, don’t waste too much of your time reading this, get out networking now!

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