5 Biggest Networking Mistakes Guaranteed to Stall Your Career

"Try calling that recruiter back after you've snubbed them and now you're in trouble. Yeah, right."

Networking. How many times have we heard it? It’s like saying, “Bless you” when you sneeze. It has, in a sense, lost its real meaning.

How you network can make all the difference in your career success. If you want to get ahead, your networking skills have to be sharp, savvy and yes, leveraged in such a way to propel you forward. Otherwise, you pretty much run the risk of getting overlooked for promotions, considered as a great candidate for a new job or advancing your current position.  

When given a choice, people will always do business with people they know or with a person that has come highly recommended by a valued and trusted member of their network. The benefits to networking are endless but you have to be good at it. Really, really good.  Great networking improves your ROI on:

• Friendship benefits: You’ll make new friends that last for a lifetime.
• Receiving and giving advice: You’ll get viewed as an expert.
• Opportunities: Whether you garner upward career mobility or are making a move, employers want people who are highly recommended from others in like or supervisory positions. Your network can give you that.
• Assistance on the job:  You have somewhere to go for assistance, suggestions, referrals and  you even have someone  covering your back or giving you a heads-up when you goof.
• Positive influence: You become who you associate with.

Here are five of the biggest networking mistakes you can make:

1.  Avoid a great profile on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is your biggest advantage for entry into good, solid networking.  It has become the winning social media tool for career networking. Whether you are trying to grow your reach, find content or explore opportunities, this virtual meeting vehicle is the first and last stop for many professionals. The latest trend is employers are looking at your LinkedIn profile at the same time they are reviewing your resume. Potential contacts who can give you career help will also check you out first on LinkedIn.

However, you will generate no interest without an interesting summary. LinkedIn is not a playback of your resume. To attract contacts, you’ll need to demonstrate your personality, take on the business world and show your worldliness. If you want to be taken seriously, you cannot go without a full and professionally written LinkedIn profile.

2.  Don’t go to association meetings, seminars and get-togethers.

It’s one thing to join your association. It’s another to work the networking advantages it brings. Face-to-face encounters render far longer benefits than an occasional email to someone you have never met.  People tend to remember you. What will you learn from association networking? What’s happening in your community, new techniques, where the jobs are, the latest software, what firm is doing what (so you can take that information back to your firm and be valuable to management), salaries, and important events. It’s a great way to stay current, uncover “hot buttons” in your field and who knows? You might even have a little fun.

3. Be sure to alienate every recruiter who calls you.

Networking needs to include recruiters. Connect with them. They are invaluable. They hold the key to hundreds of contacts: HR, managing partners, CEO’s, COOs, VP’s, supervisors, in-house legal counsel, legal service providers, colleagues and more. They know salaries, firms, trends, and in particular, where the field is headed. In fact, they often know if your firm is in trouble before you do.

Don’t be so smug if a recruiter calls or emails you about a new position. I can’t tell you how many times people ignore the call or treat the recruiter abysmally only to wake up a few weeks or months later to find their firm is laying off, merging or otherwise purging. Then what? Do you know where to go? You think back. “Oh! I’ll call that recruiter who called me about that job.” Right.  Try calling them back after you have snubbed them. Most likely, they won’t take the call.

4.  Don’t network with colleagues in your firm.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is that they are networked in social media; go to association meetings; build a network; and reach out into the community but neglect to network within their own firm!

If you're able to build rapport with hiring authorities at your firm, you can be the first to find out about forthcoming internal promotions and strategically position yourself for growth.

Similarly, you may discover the firm is opening a new satellite office in your dream destination, and if you're connected with the right person, you could get a head start on applying for the transfer.

Who do you know? Some of the most important people to connect with are the conduits to the power in your firm. That is, someone who can speak for your job category. Network with colleagues, partners, associates, managers, administrators, staff – be sure to include everyone. People can tell you what’s going on in your own firm.  You’ll get noticed. Everyone wants to be with a winner that other people respect. Hanging out alone in your office or cubicle will not get you advanced up the ladder.

 5.  Ignore the benefits of networking.

Continuing to build new relationships and nurture exisiting contacts can be tremendously beneficial as your network grows into the next phases of their career.

Success stories such as Whoopie Goldberg, Mark Cuban, Warren Buffett and Jay-Z all rose from humble starts. You can be sure those who showed them support with no agenda during their growing pains enjoyed the ride once these icons’ careers exploded.

The key is to keep your networking process going without needing to ask for anything in return. Show genuine interest in other people and their hopes, wants, dreams and desires.  Ask questions they'd be excited to answer. Listen carefully to what they say and you'll have surrounded yourself with a circle of people who would not only be willing but excited to help take your career to the next level.

Chere Estrin is the CEO of Estrin Legal Staffing; President & Co-Founding member of the Organization of Legal Professionals, CEO of the Paralegal Knowledge Institute and a recognized career coach. She has written 10 books on legal careers, hundreds of articles and has been written up in national publications. She is a former exec in law firms, a $5 billion corporation and a national seminar leader. Talk to her at chere@estrinlegalstaffing.com.