What you need to know about the elements of networking

Telling people to network before the pandemic likely conjured images in their minds of a sea of nametag-wearing, business-card-carrying people in a stuffy conference room or hotel ballroom. The coronavirus pandemic changed all that by putting a stop to in-person gatherings and forcing people to get creative to build professional relationships.

Now that we’ve been dealing with this new reality for the better part of a year, it’s a good time to review the foundational elements of networking that will allow you to build meaningful relationships online or in-person. 

Dozens of you offered your suggestions on a post I published. While I can’t highlight all of them, you can find all of the responses by clicking here.

Start with the people you know

Many people think they need to start from scratch when they begin networking. The truth is that the vast majority of people at least have a network they’ve built unintentionally during their lives and careers. Without knowing it, you’ve been passively networking by going to school, going to work, gaining friends, going to a coffee shop each day and doing any of the other countless activities you need to do in your daily life.

Members of that existing network may be able to introduce you to people within your target industry, your target company or elsewhere that may be of value. Contacting your existing network for a phone call, through an email or even over text can start to open doors in your job search and career.

“I have found that the best strategy is to ask your current contacts who they can introduce you to in their network,” wrote Michelle Peranteau, who is a marketing and communications professional. “You expand your own network and gain more eyes and ears in your job hunt.”

Vincent Phamvan, who is the founder of Vyten Career Coaching, echoed that advice. “It’s a great time to check in with former classmates, co-workers, and managers,” he wrote.

“Focus on what's going on in their lives, and as you talk about your current situation, you will hopefully connect the dots to some of their connections at your target companies,” wrote Rich G., who is a remote career advisor. 

Building momentum

Your network will start to expand on its own as you talk with people you already know and they start making connections for you. These new relationships are important — especially because they’re built on ones that already exist. You can reach out to these new connections for calls, video chats and email exchanges, but it’s important to know the limits of these discussions.

“By asking everyone you know if they can introduce you to someone inside a company you are interested in, you are far more likely to be granted a phone call,” wrote Hannah Morgan, who is the founder of CareerSherpa.net. She added that you should ask these people for AIR (advice, information and recommendations) — not jobs.

A job is likely the ultimate objective of your search, but being too direct with a new connection can spoil a budding relationship and eliminate you from opportunities that may have popped up down the proverbial road. Don’t ask for too much of your new connection.

“Relationships take time to build, so be sure to establish trust before asking for a favor,” wrote Matt Glodz, who is a managing partner at Resume Pilots. “Nobody likes to feel like they're being taken advantage of (especially by someone they just met).”

Ask for information

Another important element of networking is to be strategic, meaning you may need to leapfrog over existing connections to start building relationships within target industries and companies. 

“Don't be afraid to ask for the informational interview over Zoom, but make it value-based,” wrote Wendi Weiner, who is the founder of The Writing Guru. “Do your research about the company and the person of interest ahead of time. Don't use a cookie-cutter template that you are sending to 10 other people. People are more understanding and more available during COVID times, but show your specific interest.”

Being specific is important. You should come to an informational interview with questions that go beyond asking for general information about the person’s company and industry. Showing you’ve done some research into the field will send a signal that you’re serious and not wasting the person’s time.

“I’m reaching out to those in my network who have achieved the level of success I’m striving for in order to have a virtual coffee chat,” wrote Andrew De Bona, who is a strategic product manager. “I am asking for 15 [minutes] to hear about THEIR success story and see how I can learn from it ... Thus far it has been very successful in that no one has turned me down.”

Also, it’s important to take advantage of other opportunities that may pop up. Many of those will be online due to the pandemic, but you can still find mixers, conferences, professional talks and other events to take part in virtually and meet new people. LinkedIn members say they’ve also found networking opportunities while volunteering in their communities.

Make it routine

You may be networking right now in hopes of getting a new job, but you shouldn’t stop connecting with people once you reach that goal. Networking is like any other habit. Doing it a few times will likely not result in any noticeable difference. The benefits only emerge after you keep at it on a regular basis.

You should continue building and expanding your network. Make time each week or every few days to chat with someone new on the phone or over video. Follow the practices outlined above.

Then, make sure you’re also dedicating some time to maintaining existing relationships. Connections won’t last if you only pay attention to them when you’re in need. Reach out to them from time to time to see how they are, if they’re OK and if they’re interested in having a conversation.

Integrating networking into your life helps in a number of ways, including making you feel more connected to people and also setting yourself up for career success. A person you keep in touch with every now and then may make you their first phone call if they know of an open position within their company, for example. 

Also, it will be much easier to start a job search in the future if you have a vibrant network of people to give you support during challenging times. 

What networking strategies have worked for you during the pandemic? Join the conversation.

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▶ The follow-up

Employee referrals are often seen as the grand prize of networking. While a referral doesn’t guarantee you a job, it can give you a significant boost during the hiring process. At the very least, it will make sure your resume and cover letter are read by a recruiter or hiring manager, said Shelley Piedmont, who is a career coach and former recruiter, in the last edition #GetHired. To increase the odds of getting a referral, Piedmont suggested you keep networking so that you’re top of mind for your connections. Then, start building new professional relationships with people at your target companies. Look for people who share something in common with you, such as a professional organization membership or the same school or university. Also, be strategic when asking for a referral. Asking too early can ruin your chances and spoil a budding connection. Here’s what people are saying about the advice.

▶ Other news to help you #GetHired:

Should you get dressed even if you have no place to go? You may be tempted to keep on your pajamas or only throw on a pair of sweatpants if you’re going to be stuck inside and in front of a computer all day, but new survey results suggest getting dressed up can influence your productivity. The results found that 80% of people who wore office-appropriate clothes while working from home felt productive compared to 70% of people who wore gym clothes and 50% who worked in pajamas. While the survey can’t say the type of clothes a person wears makes them work harder, it suggests there is a difference between people who get dressed up and those who choose comfort. Here’s what people are saying about the results.

Pick up the phone to call — not text. People are increasingly opting for text-based communications in every corner of their lives —whether for business or personal purposes. People tend to undervalue voice-based communications, though. A new study suggests people feared feeling more awkward when connecting with old friends on the phone than over email. When researchers randomly assigned people to connect with old friends over the phone or via email, they found there was no difference in how awkward they felt. The ones who connected over the phone felt more connected to their old friends than those who just communicated by email. While text is still a quick and efficient communication method for many business interactions, the results are a reminder that there is value in hearing each other out in certain situations. Here’s what people are saying about the findings.

Here’s who’s hiring right now. As I’ve said before, we’re doing our best to connect you with companies that are still hiring during these troubled economic times. Part of that effort is a regularly updated list of companies we know to be hiring. Some of those include Amazon, Walmart and CVS Health. Click here to see more.

▶ Up next:

Tens of thousands of seasonal jobs are being advertised right now to find people who can help businesses during their busiest months. We’ll be talking about these short-term jobs in the next edition of #GetHired, including reasons why you should and shouldn’t apply for one. We’ll also discuss what expectations you should have going into a seasonal job and what to do if you want to turn it into a long-term role. Have you thought about applying for a seasonal job? Tell me about it by clicking here.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to reach out to me if you have ideas on topics or questions I should address in future editions of #GetHired. You can also email me at GetHired[at]LinkedIn.com.