What if you could expand your network with ease when you don’t enjoy networking?
How to Network to Find a Job: Be visible and active
It’s a question I’m often asked. What if I don’t like networking? I don’t want to spend hours circling a room or meeting people. The best way that you can effectively network is to make sure you are on the mind of others, and establishing a simple feeling of trust. That’s the only purpose of networking. If you’re seeking to put yourself out there, be on the mind of others.
So if you don’t like networking, there are lots of other ways in which you can do it, without the traditional way of walking into a room of strangers. You could be on a panel, giving some advice in your current position or in your industry. You can sit on a board and share your knowledge or your business experience and do what you enjoy.
You could also mentor others, sign up as a sponsor to a group or be a part of a networking group where you’re considered in this particular area of expertise in the organization. So it could be a panel, or it could be sitting on a committee.
Before I forget, I want to be sure you know about my audio leadership course (it’s free) that’s designed to help you own your authority in your career and it works. It’s based on two decades of leading in Corporate America, (I’m a former Wall St. Executive) and those professionals I coach here at In Our Shoes. Now onto networking…
When I was in corporate America, I used to do a lot of charity events where I donated my time doing things that I loved. I would teach computer programming to kids. Today I still go to the food bank with my kids. And usually there are professionals at these types of events, doing things that you love.
I would also recommend that you keep two lists in your hip pocket of all of your contacts.
How to Network to Find a Job: Leverage your lists
The first list is what I call your ‘A’ list – your list of people that have seen or heard from you in the last year. Your ‘B’ list are people who haven’t heard from you for 10 years ago or more.
I know it’s a little uncomfortable for the ‘B’ people. But if you’re seeking something, specifically a new industry, pivoting in your career or you’re looking to advance in your given role, there are people who know people. If you don’t want start talking to people that you don’t know, then start with your low hanging fruit. But you have to be strategic about it.
Aside from that, if you’re not comfortable with getting out there, then sign yourself up for events that make you feel at ease, doing something that you love and enjoy.
How to Network to Find a Job: Show up powerfully
The best part of leadership in any area of your life is when you’re serving your clients. If you’re a parent, you’re serving your family. You’re giving something away, you’re giving some of yourself and as a gutsy leader you are all in. You bring your full self. You show up in the most powerful way.
Some of these more casual and informal settings are excellent networking opportunities. At the same time, they will raise your energy, and they will raise your feeling about what you’re doing there in the first place. And that could mean sitting on a stage or a platform or sitting for a webinar and giving five minutes of advice to someone that could change somebody’s career and at the same time, make you memorable. As a gutsy leader, that’s one of your strategic goals. Make yourself memorable and get referred and make the right contacts to reach whatever breakthrough goal you’re aiming for.
101 Ways to Own Your Authority at Work. Download our FREE Report + Companion Podcast!
(based on the book: Own Your Authority (McGraw Hill, April 2021)
Grab a notebook, sit back with a cup of tea, coffee or glass of wine and listen in!
