How do we network?
In our professional lives, we meet many people at the workplace, social gatherings, business events, etc. We exchange cards and connect with them on social platforms, ending up with 100s of people on the network. However, the real question is whether we effectively nurture and leverage these professional connections Back in 2014, while I was on the lookout for new opportunities, I sought help from my network. I checked my LinkedIn network, which consisted of over a 1000+ connections. As I looked at each name, I thought about who could help me find my next opportunity. There were many people I could not recall at all. I reached out to many of them, but the response was very poor. I was disappointed.
The Insightful Article
While I was struggling to find the right contacts, I came across an interesting article titled “Making your contacts count”. It explained six types of contacts. For the sake of simplicity, I have reduced it to following four levels.
- Acquaintances: Casual connections whom you meet during events, neighbors, casual meets.
- Associates: Typically colleagues who share common interests or goals, with whom you exchange key information and resources.
- Advocates: Who truly believes in your competence and will speak highly about you.
- Confidants: Trusts based relationship. They are committed to your success, will promote you, open their network for you.
Categorizing my contacts
The article was very insightful, so I decided to put it into practical use by downloading all my contacts (which totaled 1,160). I reviewed each name and classified them into four levels; here are the results.
Acquaintances: 57% were active networkers—people whom I met at business conferences. I removed hundreds of them.
Associates: 35% were team members, people with whom I have worked or interacted in past.
Advocates: 7% were people with whom I worked very closely for a long time.
Confidants: 1% comprised of ex- bosses and senior client personnel with whom I had an excellent relationship
I realized that I had not lost touch with many people in levels 3 and 4. I started reconnecting with them and apprised them of what I had done since we last interacted, as well as what I was looking for. They promised to help me in any way they could. This focused networking activity continued for a few months, and I was confident that this exercise would be fruitful. Did it help me find a job? Yes, it did. I received an amazing offer in the field of my choice. Such jobs are found through close networks only and are seldom advertised. The core idea here is to do focused networking and elevate people to higher level especially at levels 3 and 4.
Elevate your Networking
Here are a few suggestions on how to network systematically.
- Categorize your contacts into these four levels.
- Engage with Levels 3 and 4 more often, keep note on key discussions points.
- Regularly review their profiles for any job or role changes.
- When traveling for work, try to meet them in person.
- Put least effort in Level 1 and avoid random invites.
- Be very selective about whom you add to your network.
Conclusion
In summary, networking is not about accumulating contacts; it involves nurturing meaningful relationships that can lead to valuable opportunities. By categorizing your connections, you can focus your efforts on those who can genuinely support your career growth. Remember to engage regularly and actively with your closest contacts.
I would love to hear from you,
Is there a better way to network effectively? How did your network help you in your career?
Any Suggestions? Reference: 1) Making your contacts count 2) HBR guide to networking
Image done by Ziyaa Boghani
