Anytime, Anywhere, Anyplace - When Keeping Your Options Open Yields Lower Results

Your objective in networking is to build a relationship that mutually benefits each party.


The first step in building in defining how you can help one another, as once this is defined the networking can really get underway.

You’ll do research and listen during your first meeting to get ideas for where you can help one another. Now what?

You will be tempted (like all of us) to use the approach called “Anyplace, Anytime, Anywhere” where you keep the networking very general to keep all the options for helping one another open.

However, while it may appear counterintuitive, the more focused you become on a single area for each of you to begin, the greater the result. Because this gives you something to act upon and it is action that truly builds a relationship.

I’ll use a live example from my job search to show how ‘keeping all options open’ does not work. Here’s how I answered questions during a networking meeting.

Q: What size company are you targeting?

A: My experience could work at any size company.

Q: What industry are you interested in?

A: I have service industry experience, but I’m open to all industries.

Q: Public or Private firm…

You know where my meeting was going: Nowhere. I came across as either uncertain of my skills or interests. I gave my networking contact nothing to work on to make connections or help identify possible jobs (I have also sat through countless meetings where I received similar answers).

One of my favorite examples of where taking a very specific focus is very effective, the 37Signals team’s (www.37signals.com) approach for building software. They intentionally design less features and scope in order to deliver a specific need of high importance to their clients. Their philosophy is to establish a very clear relationship with the buyer as to what they should expect to receive. The smaller focus also enables them to deliver. (Writer note: I’m totally underselling the 37Signals story, recommend you visit their site or better yet read one of their books to get the full spirit of the firm and their accomplishments).

What is interesting is that once I narrowed my search focus (very narrow), I was finding myself interviewing more often based upon leads from my networking contacts. On the flipside, I also found myself delivering more networking referrals. Mutual benefit = Mission Accomplished.

The lesson here is to start small by picking a specific topic or 3-4 tangible actions where the two of you can help one another. You will get immediate results and a nice momentum to start this professional relationship.

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

www.candidateschair.com




http://TwitJobs.net The Career Community