Network Smarter, Not Harder by Valerie Grubb, President, Val Grubb & Associates
Valerie Grubb
You can't peruse an article on job hunting without reading the adage “It’s not what you know, but whom you know.” There’s a reason why those authors bring out this overused saying: it’s dead on-especially today, when the competition is fiercer than ever and many companies’ recruiting efforts rely heavily on referrals from their internal employees. Best-selling author and motivational speaker Brian Tracy urges, "Network continually-85% of all jobs are filled through contacts and personal references." The recent hiring patterns of several major employers illustrate the truth in that statement:
Although networking takes time, expanding your circle of contacts can significantly increase your chances of finding a new position within your company of choice. But how can you find time for networking when your plate is already full? The richest people in the world look for and build networks. Everyone else looks for work. The perfect time to expand your network is when you have a job and don't need anything from those that you meet and connect with. The key to networking in an already frantic world is not necessarily to spend more time at it but to be more effective at what you’re doing. Here are some tips to help you become a more effective networker.
Use social media to your advantage A 2013 study by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 77% of employers using social networks for recruiting (an increase from 56% in 2011 and 34% in 2008). Not surprisingly, 94% of them use LinkedIn to find qualified candidates-which means you should keep your LinkedIn profile up to date and regularly add new connections and recommendations. In addition to LinkedIn, a number of new technologies have emerged to track-and leverage-social relationships. The current star player on the corporate field is Klout, a site that assigns people “Klout scores” that indicate the strength of their influence in social media avenues. (Scores range from 1 to 100, with a high number indicating high influence.) Depending on the qualifications sought for an open position, HR managers may treat influence as a key factor when comparing candidates. For anyone seeking a career in recruiting, sales, marketing, or business development, having a low Klout score (or, even worse, not knowing it all) can be a career ender. Although your personal page on Facebook should be open only to friends and family, many companies use their business pages to highlight job openings and company culture and increase their brand awareness. “Liking” the pages of companies that you’re targeting in a job search can help you stay informed about new positions that become available. Twitter is another great venue for keeping up with companies that interest you as potential employers. Many companies openly invite their Twitter followers to participate in conversations with management and current employees and to explore career opportunities with those organizations. They connect with possible candidates by sharing videos and pictures; posting information about new product releases, offers, and job openings; and promptly responding to  queries.
Use networking events to develop meaningful contacts You have to be visible in the community. You have to get out there and connect with people. It's not called net-sitting or net-eating. It's call networking. You have to work at it. As useful as social media can be, they aren’t the only way to build connections. If you want to have a strong network, you can’t spend all your time online-you need to get out there and interact with people in person, too. Attending networking events is a no-brainer method for adding more people to your network of contacts. However, these events can be time consuming and not always productive. (Think about it: how many times have you left one of these gatherings without having met anyone useful there?) The key to success at a networking event is to approach it with the proper expectations. Your goal in a two-hour event should be to make two or three meaningful contacts, not to walk out with twenty business cards from people with whom you didn’t really engage. To make the most of your time at a networking event, do your homework before you go. Find out which organizations will be represented at the event and target specific attendees, then research the companies and their executives. Knowing the backgrounds of the people you meet will help you have meaningful conversations with them before you ask for their business cards-and gives you opportunities to follow up afterwards, too. Remember: conversation is a two-way street, so avoid focusing only on yourself. Strive to be a truly likable person. People will remember your personality even if they cannot recall your list of accomplishments. If you want an executive to be interested in you (and possibly meet with you again after the event), you need to be interesting.
Use diligence to maintain your meaningful contacts Once you’ve made a connection, wait two or three days to follow up (to avoid the Set up Google alerts so articles with the company or executive’s name will be brought
Use volunteer opportunities to expand your network Another great networking strategy is to volunteer for a cause that you care about. Not only will you do something good for the world, but you may also have an opportunity to If need ideas for where to volunteer, visit the websites of your targeted companies and look for the sections about their philanthropic activity. Many organizations list
Use your alumni network to create opportunities Finally, make use of your alumni network. Members of this network are already connected with each other-and this common ground gives you a built-in conversation starter. Don’t underestimate the potential benefits of alumni organizations! In 1999 I helped create the cable channel Oxygen. When NBC Universal purchased the company a few years later, I was out of job because my functions were absorbed into NBCU. Through the Indiana University alumni relations office, I found out that a fellow alumni was the president of MediaWorks, a major division within NBCU-and the one that housed all the functions I led at Oxygen. I sent him an e-mail with “Fellow IU grad” in the subject line. He agreed to meet, and one month later, I received two offers from different divisions in his realm. My IU connection didn’t get me the job (my skill set did that), but it did open a door for me. Without the alumni connection, I would not have had the opportunity to highlight my skills. I’ve since left NBCU to build my own consulting practice, and you bet I still use the IU alumni network. ______________ Remember, now is the time to begin building your professional network. The For more useful tips on this topic, check out an earlier post on this blog: “10 Quick Networking Strategies That Will Keep You Connected.” as well as other posts  at: http://www.valgrubbandassociates.com/index/php/blog |
|
|
|
Valerie Grubb is the principal of Val Grubb & Associates, Ltd., which she founded after holding a succession of leadership roles within major corporations. She now works on a consulting basis in operations management, specializing in back-office functions such as HR, purchasing, facilities/real estate, security, travel, and other logistics and ops-based areas. Valerie is particularly adept at managing major corporate initiatives in high-growth, complex work environments, and also supports talent and leadership development for several major corporations and nonprofits. In her training capacity, Grubb focuses on the world of executive leadership and management, and has a special expertise in transposing company vision into strategic training initiatives that resonate with both senior management and employees. She has taught senior leaders and high-potential employees throughout the USA, Asia, Europe, South America, and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). She has experience working in a variety of industries, including entertainment, media, spirits and beverage, retail, automotive, pharmaceutical, nonprofit, and others. Prior to founding Val Grubb & Associates, Ltd., Valerie served as the vice president of strategic operations and initiatives at NBC Universal, where she oversaw business development opportunities within the Media Distribution Services group (including the purchase of the Weather Channel) and spearheaded quality initiatives in preparation for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. She played a seminal role in the 1999 formation of Oxygen Media, where she served as vice president of operations and led the HR, risk management, training, facilities, security, travel, and real estate operations for all Oxygen offices in the United States. Before joining Oxygen, Valerie was the vice president of operations for Barry Diller during the inception of InterActiveCorp (IAC), where she contributed significantly to IAC's aggressive acquisitions strategy and managed the integration of newly acquired companies under the IAC corporate umbrella. She began her career as an engineer with Allison Engine Company, a division of General Motors that was purchased by Rolls-Royce in 1995. During her eleven years with Rolls-Royce, she earned increasingly senior assignments, culminating in her appointment as director of public affairs. Since 2005 Valerie has been a featured speaker at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) annual conference. She has also been a featured speaker for the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) and the National Association of Insurance Women. She is a member of Women in Cable Television (WICT) and has served as a Prime Access Mentor to young professionals in the cable industry. Valerie graduated with a mechanical engineering degree from Kettering University (formerly General Motors Institute) and obtained her MBA from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. She remains highly involved with the Kelly School as an active member of both the Supply Chain and Global Management Academy and the Dean's Advisory Council. She is also a founding board member of the business school at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, South Korea. Visit Valerie's website |