How to Become a 'Networking Natural'

In the increasingly competitive society we all live in it is getting more and more difficult to ‘stand out’ from the crowd. Never has the adage: “it’s not what you know but who you know” been more relevant! How can you get to know key figures that can help you get your foot in the door so to speak, or potentially even land that dream job you’ve always wanted? The answer: networking.

Networking is simply about forming associations and building relationships with people involved in the profession you are working in/would like to work in. But for some people the term ‘networking’ is enough to send shivers of dread and cause sweaty palms. Done well, it can set you apart from other candidates and leave a good impression with those who may be involved in recruitment. Done poorly, people may come across as fake or self-serving. The other extreme is not networking at all and sticking with a group of familiar people. This doesn’t help you in the long run.

This article aims to provide some techniques to make networking more manageable and natural for the budding networker.

Don’t think of it as networking!

Some people get turned off at the word ‘networking’ because this makes connections seem false and only meant for personal gain. Think of your meeting as making new friendships with people and genuine connections.

Be genuine

Ask friendly questions to build rapport and to show that you’re genuinely interested in what the other person has to say. Such questions may include: “what do you do at XX company? What is the work like at XX company? Where do you see the industry in 5 years from now?”

Don’t feel like you need to stand out

You don’t have to be the funniest person or the smartest in the room. Having those expectations on yourself will just reinforce the ‘networking’ fears and you can end up feeling fake.

Don’t feel like you need to ‘agree’ with everything

Having an individual opinion and stating so shows that you are an independent thinker. But challenge within reason and be open to the opinions of others – this shows your team work abilities too.

Find like-minded individuals

Begin by finding someone who engages at your level (or a level that you feel comfortable with) and spend a bit of time ‘practicing’ your networking questions and behaviour. This can also help build your confidence at networking.

Don’t aim too high (at first)

If networking is hard in general don’t go to the CEO of your dream company at your first go. Get to know the staff and managers below the CEO – know a bit about that CEO indirectly and gain that initial confidence before you meet them face-to-face and try your networking skills. Getting to know the CEO and the company beforehand also shows that you have done your research. Before you go up to the CEO and tell her about your stamp collection, make sure she is interested in stamps! It may not be true that: "philately will get you everywhere". (Sorry!)

Keep in contact

This is one tip people generally tend to forget. Just because you meet and had a good conversation with someone once doesn’t mean they will remember you forever. Share business cards and keep in contact with the person. For example, if you had an interesting discussion about Australia’s financial instability, send a follow-up email with a relevant article/paper you’ve read. This not only shows YOU’VE remembered that person but that you are up to date with the latest happenings in your field. Maintaining a genuine connection with the person means validating the conversation you’ve had.

What can you do for them? 

Reciprocity is fine, but see what you can do for someone else before you ask them to do something for them. Thinking about what this may be, really tends to focus your attention on the conversation and remember what has been said.

Networking is about getting to know people in your profession. Building these good connections may help you get a job in the company, build new friendships and people who could help you further your career.  One final piece of advice - the first step in networking is to get out and make a start!

It’s not about what you know, but who you know

Given the approaching end-of-year and the easing job market, it is essential that you are doing all you can to ensure you have access to 100% of the job market. It is estimated that only approximately 20% of jobs are advertised, this means that 80% of jobs come from the hidden job market. A great way to access the hidden job market is through gaining and maintaining relationships with your network. An employee at a company is always looking for ways in which they may be able to save the company money and if that means hiring a new employee without advertising, then it is in their best interest to inform all their job-seeking connections about an up-coming vacancy.

Networking is simply about forming associations and building relationships with people involved in the profession you are working in/would like to work in. But for some people the term ‘networking’ is enough to send shivers of dread and sweaty palms. Done well, it can set you apart from other candidates and leave a good impression with those who may be involved in recruitment. Done poorly, people may come across as fake or self-serving. The other extreme is not networking at all and sticking with a group of familiar people. This doesn’t help you in the long run.

This article aims to give some tricks to make networking more manageable and natural for the budding networker.

Don’t think of it as networking!

Some people get turned off at the word ‘networking’ because this makes connections seem false and only meant for personal gain. Think of your meeting as making new friendships with people and genuine connections.

Be genuine

Ask friendly questions to build rapport and to show that you’re genuinely interested in what the other person has to say. Such questions may include: “what do you do at XX company? How is the work like at XX company?”

Don’t feel like you need to stand out

You don’t have to be the funniest person or the smartest in the room. Having those expectations on yourself will just reinforce the ‘networking’ fears and again you can end up feeling fake.

Don’t feel like you need to ‘agree’ with everything 

Having an individual opinion and stating so shows that you are an independent thinker. But challenge within reason and be open to other’s opinions – this shows your team work abilities too.

Find like-minded individuals

Begin by find someone who engages at your level (that you feel comfortable with) and spend a bit of time ‘practicing’ your networking questions and behaviour - that can also build your confidence

Don’t aim too high (at first)

If networking is hard in general don’t go to the CEO of your dream company at your first go. Get to know the staff and managers below the CEO – know a bit about that CEO indirectly and gain that initial confidence before you meet them face-to-face and try your networking skills. Getting to know the CEO and the company beforehand would also show that you did your research.

Keep in contact 

This is one tip people generally tend to forget. Just because you meet and had a good conversation with someone once doesn’t mean they’d remember you forever. Share business cards and keep in contact with the person. For example, if you had an interesting discussion about Australia’s financial instability send a follow-up email with a relevant article/paper you’ve read. This not only shows YOU’VE remembered that person but that you are up to date with the latest happenings in your field. Maintaining a genuine connection with the person means validating the conversation you’ve had.

Networking is about getting to know people in your profession. Building these good connections may help you get a job in the company, build new friendships and people who could help you further your career.  The first unmentioned step is to get in and start! A handy place to start would be the Career Exchange website itself, find employers who have advertised in the past or employers who you see frequently advertise and give them a call. You never know, they may have the perfect role for you around the corner in 2016.

Career Comparison – Reasons why job hunting while employed is essential

Searching for potential job opportunities whilst working can seem like an unnecessary activity at times. It requires you to be thinking about many different factors - your current position, financial change and employment availability within your profession among other stressors. You need to use your personal time to be on the lookout for job opportunities. This is one of the reasons individuals become accustomed to their work lives as it begins to develop into an established routine. It is very easy to find yourself in the same position for many years without knowing what other opportunities are out there. However, being on the lookout puts you at an advantage over your colleagues, and indeed everyone within your industry as work trends show that we move jobs more often and several professions become more competitive than before. For these reasons and more it’s important to stay ahead of the game and keep hunting, and we will show you the best way to balance a work life and a keen job seeking eye!

1.    Being aware of your industry employment status 

Every industry differs in terms of job availability. If your industry is facing low job demand this could suggest that there are limited positions available for your current role. On the positive side your position may be more valuable to your current employer. Alternatively, that if something were to happen and you lost your position, it may be more difficult to obtain another role quickly.
 
It is always worthwhile to conduct a search on available roles in your current industry (or an industry you are hoping to make your way into). How frequently do roles come up? What is the general scope of remuneration against experience? Are most roles full time, part time or contract? By doing so, you can determine the job demand and job security within your desired industry giving you the benefit of planning your career ahead of time. Better yet, such scoping of emerging roles provides you with a competitive advantage over other employees as it allows you to assess the value and worth of your current position in the industry by comparing it to alternatives.

2.    Planning ahead for something better

Reality is that there may always be a position that is better than the one that you currently have. This is OK, however, as it gives you something to work towards. It can be hard to think of another job as you may be comfortable where you are now, but comfortable is not a term successful people use. Thinking ahead in terms of where you want to be and how you are going to get there puts you at an advantage over your colleagues. Scoping your potential next big move could be the best exercise you have undertaken.

This does not mean you have to stress out constantly looking for jobs, but rather look over advertisements within your desired field, and occasionally have a preliminary chat with a potential employer or recruiter, or send your resume out. Be very careful to explicitly state that you want your interest to remain completely confidential and not be placed into a database without your consent. Overall, consider planning ahead, networking, and spending time thinking of what your next job could potentially be.

3.    Networking

Networking is arguably the strongest factor that decides who gets the next available job. Knowing the right people could get you through doors that you would never have believed possible.

Aim at increasing your network. This could mean requesting that your contacts keep their eyes open for job opportunities as they arise. Or attending conferences, workshops and other professional events as well as buying a few coffees for people in order to build your network. Remember, people would rather hire those who they know rather than those they don’t know.

Hopefully these tips will allow you to move away from the comfortable ‘steady as you go’ space that you have fallen into and allow you to expand your network, look beyond your current position, and plan ahead for what job opportunities lie out there. Who knows, your dream job could be around the corner!

Wanting to look for other job opportunities...

Career Exchange is an online Allied Health Career Portal that has been developed to meet the needs of job seekers and advertisers within the Allied Health community. Career Exchange provides job seekers with a platform where they can connect with industry professionals and new employment opportunities. Career Exchange allows you to search for employment opportunities through cutting edge web design and usability. There is always relevant information pertaining to job seekers and you have the ability to upload a copy of your resume through your Applicant Account for free. 

Career Exchange: Active Job Seeking, networking and industry information all in the one place.  

Starting a career blog – to blog or not to blog?

 ‘To blog or not to blog, that is the question!’ 

Blogging is rapidly emerging as a great new way to advance your career. Blogs have become a ritual reading, an indication of a person’s professional reliability and at the very least an opportunity to have your name on the internet. As the saying goes ‘It’s not what you know, it’s who you know’- With the added bonus of introducing you to a whole new circle, establishing a strong base of professionals who read your articles frequently can be beneficial to you, and your career.

When’s a good time to start blogging?

If you’re a university student or coping with pre-career decision struggles, this is the best time to start blogging. Why?

• You’re more likely to connect with countless students who are experiencing the same highs/lows as you are
• Just as many people do, you’re giving the readers a chance to read about your journey and connect with you throughout your career- if you keep them interested that is.
• Taking this initiative looks great on a resume!

Whether you’re a university student, a graduate or an employed professional, everyone has experienced situations similar to yours and I can guarantee that someone else is going to experience what you’re going through. Blogging will become a source of comfort for your readers and subsequently an outlet for your own frustrations, although be sure to follow our guidelines to prevent anything career damaging ending up on the internet!

Establish Yourself

Showing readers that you’re a reliable source is how you strengthen the degree of respect that’s associated with your name, and subsequently this could open up avenues for media sources to contact you- a little publicity never hurt anyone. For example, if you’re an early career psychologist, writing material relating to current issues in the field of psychology is one way of establishing yourself.

Passion

If you’re not passionate about blogging, then don’t do it. Your blogs will receive a lot more positive feedback if your passion for your work is portrayed through your writing. Blogging will become nothing more than a daunting task and a reason for procrastinating in any way possible if you don’t enjoy it.

A blog is not the same thing as a personal diary

• If you are relaying personal experiences, make sure it still has something of value. Ask yourself, what would the reader take from this?
• Though you are dealing with social media, try to make sure your spelling, grammar and general flow of text allow readers to take you seriously.
• If you’re not the most creative and influential writer (you don’t have to be!) be sure to share your work with friends or colleagues before going live. This is especially helpful in finding areas that don’t make sense to others that may seem perfectly normal to you.
• Be careful not to name names or expose companies. If you need to vent, mention annoyances at the general department or type of worker, not the person or company. This will help people relate to you more which is what you’re trying to achieve!

Happy blogging!

Positive politics - there’s no need to play dirty to win

Everyone has without a doubt endured the ‘just ignore them’ speech when it comes to gossip, but why ignore an inevitable fact of life when you can understand and turn a volatile zone commonly known as ‘workplace politics’ into something positive and beneficial? 

According to research from the American Society for Training and Development, gossip is often work-related, usually focusing on business changes, office intrigue, and people's private lives, and this is consistently on the rise with new technology. Because of this behaviour there is a chance to learn more details about upcoming business changes, network where it counts and then seize opportunities that can aid your career development.

It’s a survival of the fittest and here is a simple and strategic plan to help you master the concept of positive politics.

1)      Map the Political Hierarchy – who really has the power?

To the drawing board! Like any good strategy, you must first map out a plan and in this instance this plan is a social hierarchy (who has the most power and why?)

2)      The social network

Time to gather information about who interacts with who, and what the nature of their relationship is like. Another important aspect is to identify the groups, if any, and where the power and influencers reside.

3)      Develop your own network  

This network should extend in all directions and include peers of all employment status; it may even consist of multiple networks. A good tip to keep in mind is that these relationships should be true; you don’t want people thinking that you are a fake friend.

4)      Utilise your network  

This is where your hard work will pay off! You can use your network to gain access to important information and attract opportunities that can put you ahead of the pack. For example: you may get wind of a possible promotion or job opening. Your network can also be used to improve your reputation, why not let the news that travels about you be good!

5)      Keep your friends close and your ‘frenemies’ closer 

By keeping those who are difficult to get along with close you can easily keep ahead of the pack. However, be careful what information you leak into your social network. Understanding your frenemy’s motives can help you avoid negative politics and maintain a positive network.

6)      Listen, and pilot your behaviour 

All in all, what good is this network unless you can use it to help you achieve your goals? Some essential rules include:

• Don’t say something you’ll regret - be respectful and remember that you are networking, not engaging in pointless chatter
• Rise above personal arguments – getting caught up in arguments just aggravates negative gossip
• Practice positive politics – be a role model, confident and assertive, but not aggressive
• Don’t count on confidentiality

In summary, accept it, develop strategies, observe and learn!