Toronto

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Networking Reality Check

Supersizing your networks is often a super-sized waste of time

May 7, 2009 - Too many people focus on expanding their network and never think of its quality. In networking, bigger is not always better.

"A network of ten people who continuously work on our behalf, giving us business leads and career help, is far more valuable than 1000 people who won't return our calls" says Randall Craig, author of the best-selling career book Personal Balance Sheet. "Networking is more than just collecting business cards, adding new LinkedIn Connections or Facebook friends".

Instead of quantity, networkers should focus on quality, using three simple steps:

1) Fish where the fish are: Improve the quality of your network by attending events where you will find people who can help you. It could even be at children's soccer games or neighborhood BBQs.

2) Ask open-ended questions: Once you are at the networking event, ask open-ended questions to people you haven't yet met, in order to understand their needs... and to determine if a relationship will be mutually beneficial. If you do spend time with people you know, ask them to introduce you to folks they know at the event. An introduction is an implicit endorsement, and highly valuable.

3) Give to Get: Within your network, add the most value to those who could help you the most. This could be done by sending them newsclippings, introducing them to people in your network, or giving them business referrals: anything, so long as it is valuable to them. The more you deposit into your network bank, the more you can withdraw later.

Says Craig: "Collecting that business card is only the start. Supersizing the number of cards without supersizing the quality of your relationship is a huge mistake... and a waste of time. Why not start simply, and make sure that the relationships with your ten most valuable networking contacts are strong?"

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Randall Craig is North America's foremost expert on career planning and work-life balance. He is the author of numerous books, including the popular Leaving the Mother Ship, The Working Resume, the best-seller Personal Balance Sheet Practical Career Planning Guide, and the just-released Online PR and Social Media for Experts. For more information, please visit http://www.PersonalBalanceSheet.com

Randall Craig can answer all questions about career planning, networking, job search, and workplace issues.

Randall Craig, CFA, MBA, CMC

President

Pinetree Advisors Inc.

Toronto

416-256-7773