Networking: it's all the rage


What is it? And is it really the golden key to success?

Networking.

You've heard of it.

You know you're supposed to be doing it.

And some of you may actually enjoy it, but you're just sick & twisted.

Oh, wait, I actually kind of enjoy it myself.

Well, there you go. Point proven.

My definition of the purpose of networking: to connect two or more parties for their mutual benefit, with the understanding that you may not be one of the parties, and the benefit may not occur now.

Therein lies the problem for many of us...it's not all about me, and it's not necessarily instantly gratifying, and what fun is that?

And even more, sustained networking requires that you express some interest in other people's lives and be willing to talk about yours...and for the introverts among us, this can be nearly painful.

Now, I said "sustained" networking. This is the kind of networking I believe really works well. Sure, you can connect yourself and someone else, or even two people you know when someone needs something from the other. Leave it at that, call them again the next time someone needs something. And it probably won't hurt; might help. But it's clear that the relationship now has been defined as one about favors, and eventually it will feel out of balance, and you better hope the person feels as strongly about karma, quid pro quo or 'what goes around comes around' as you do.

What's a little more difficult and time-intensive is to manage your contacts so that you're contacting them regularly just to say 'Hi' or 'Congratulations on that promotion or baby' or 'I just climbed Mt. Everest, how about you?' and always 'how about lunch/coffee/a drink to catch up?'

And the immediate gain you're hoping to get from this is that you get to spend a little time talking to someone you find interesting, or bright, or nice or entertaining. (See, again, how being an extrovert becomes an advantage in this game.)

One of the most important reasons for this kind of sustained networking is that your contacts know you as you are today, how you've grown and developed since they knew you/worked with you. I've had friends who are actually concerned that contacting an old work buddy in regard to a current opportunity will be a liability, as they only knew them as a far more junior person.

I started in the high tech world about as junior as can be, but I can still use my bosses from that time as references. Why? Because we have kept in regular touch for the past 4 years and discussed the market, and our travails at work, and they have had a bird's eye view as I've advanced in the industry.

Now, I have also talked to people who find something unsavory abut networking. And that is usually because they perceive the purpose of networking not to be about mutual benefit, but only about personal benefit, and it feels like asking for a favor.

My stock answer to this is: end that low-self-esteem moment right now.

If you're trying to help yourself with the networking, don't you think you bring value to any organization with which you're involved? Don't you think you're a smart, hard-working professional who will kick ass in anything to which you apply your considerable skills and smarts? If so, then they are getting a favor too.

And let's say you're helping a friend or colleague. If you are the one who allows a hiring manager to bring on board someone who becomes a star in the organization, you've helped them add a little lustre to their own gold star. Again, mutual benefit.

Jobs just aren't landed purely based on demonstrated competence and success. And in this environment, flooded with job-seekers, you've got a battle to win before you even get the opportunity to demonstrate what you know and that you've successfully used that knowledge. You've got a battle to get in the door.

Humans being humans, human nature comes into play, and we like to hire those we like. And sometimes we have trouble making a decision, and third party input becomes a tipping point. And, sometimes the gate-keeper for a job is, themselves, not knowledgeable enough (or wasn't given good enough instructions) to filter well.

In such cases, a personal referral, any kind of personal connection can be that tipping point.

Nonetheless, I believe that networking is extremely useful out to about 2 degrees of separation only. After that, its impact diminishes. It has strong influence to contact someone you know personally and tell them about someone else you know personally, and better yet have worked with. And of course, if you're being helped in such a way, you better hope the person helping you accurately depicts their relationship with their contact (or even really understands it.)

I'll close with two concrete examples, both of which occurred with one of my former companies where I still have many close contacts:

Example #1: "Strong ties" networking
A former direct report of mine saw a job opening at this prior company of mine. I did not know the hiring manager, but know his boss (one of the highest executives in the company) very very well. I emailed both the hiring manager and the boss my friend's resume with a note of personal recommendation. They brought him in, even though his technical background was not exactly right. I believe in a blind resume submission they may not even have brought him in for a first round, as they got many resumes for the opening. It got down to him and one other guy, and I was also one of his personal references. He got the job. Now, he had numerous interviews and obviously acquitted himself very very well. But again, networking helped get him in the door in the first place, and it may have even helped tip the balance at the last moment when they were having trouble making a decision.

Example #2: "Weak ties" networking
I met a woman at a networking event and got an immediate good first impression. I knew my former company had an opening for which she might be right. Same hiring manager/boss combo as above. Not knowing her or her work skills personally I decided to introduce her to one of my friends at the company who was a peer to the open position, and reported in to the same hiring manager. They were both from the same foreign country, and I thought they could bond, and this friend could decide whether to bring her to her management. About all I could tell my friend at the company was that this person was "personable, articulate and pleasant". I wasn't going to claim to know more than that...I'd known her for 1 hour.

So the two of them met and did, as I hoped, hit it off.

Unfortunately this woman had already submitted her resume blindly for the position and been put in the 'No' pile. So when the peer brought her resume to HR, there wasn't enough of a connection to justify going back on that initial decision (which people hate to do...it's like admitting you were wrong...oh no!) I do believe they might have seen her if they hadn't already rejected her resume from its blind submission. or perhaps even if the person bringing the resume in was at a higher level.

So what good was it? Well, first of all, I have maintained my credibility. My referrals maintain their weight as long as I don't dilute them by over-selling a product with which I have no personal experience.

Second, the two women I introduced have kept in touch and have established their own relationship. They are both pleased that I introduced them, and maybe down the road will be able to help each other at another time.

Third, this woman did end up getting another job. But I tried to help her to the honorable degree I could, and she is now favorably disposed toward me. You never know. She may rise meteorically over the next few years and some day be in a position to help me or someone else I know. All I know is I'm going to try to stay in contact with her every few months, so I have a front row seat.

I'm sure we all have numerous examples of networking at work. As long as people don't hire based purely on empirical data or some kind of statistical analysis of skills etc., as long as the human element remains, then networking will continue to have its place.

We can all complain abut the 'old boy network', or we can try to be part of it. Change from within :)

Posted: Sat - November 8, 2003 at 10:15 AM       EmailFeedback

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