CREATING CONNECTIONS

POWERFUL STEPS FOR BUILDING YOUR NETWORK OUTSIDE YOUR COMPANY

It has been five years since I made the decision to leave my corporate job and explore find something new. I didn’t know at first exactly what I wanted I just knew I needed something different. Little did I know that decision would lead me to becoming an entrepreneur.

At the time that I was exploring, I kept getting the same message about job search - You have to use your network. Online job boards and recruiters are great, but the best way to get your name in front of hiring managers was to get a personal introduction from someone who knows you. I began looking at my network. What I found was that I didn't have as strong a network as I thought I did.

Over the past several years, I had focused so much on my career and my current job that I gradually lost contact with all of those people I had known years earlier. Most of the people in my close network either worked for the same company I did or had previously worked there.

I had to begin to build out my network again.

Since my experience, I have talked to numerous people in the corporate world who are facing a similar situation. We all get very busy with our jobs. When we aren't at our jobs we want to spend time with our families and friends. That leaves little time or desire to get out, be social and meet other professionals.

There are a lot of great social networking tools that allow you keep in touch with people. LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and other give you the opportunity to share information and learn from others. Staying connected on social media is important. Personal connections and being able to meet people face-to-face, however are also critical to maintaining a strong network.

There are numerous benefits to being well connected.

Job Search. We may be entering job search because we have decided to make a change in our career. We may be entering the job market because of factors beyond our control. No matter the reason, this is a great opportunity to take advantage of our network.

Think about the who you know that works for a company that you are interested in and reach out to that person. You might also find people in your network who knows someone – a friend, a spouse, a sibling – who works for a company or in an industry that you have interest in

Hiring. Job boards and recruiters don’t always deliver the results that you need for the candidates to fill the critical roles on your team. There have been times that I have spent months with a recruiter that delivered few strong candidates.

Recent statistics show that the A Players in the job market only stay in the job market for an average of 10 days. Many of them never enter the job market because they are recruited out of their current positions.

Using your network can be a great way to get in front of candidates who may never know about your open position otherwise.

Finding a mentor. We all run into challenges in our jobs and need to learn something new or just need some advice on how to handle it. Most people are completely open to lending an ear, doing some brainstorming, offering guidance or providing some of their own expertise to the problem.

It can also be a great way to get an objective opinion from someone who doesn’t have a stake in the challenge.

Starting a Business. There may come a point in your career that you decide that it is time to step out on your own. This is a great time to begin reaching out to your network. You may find that there are some who have done that themselves and can offer some sage advice. You may also find that there are those who may need or want the services or products that you are providing. Your network can also be great referral partners to help you get in front of potential clients as you are building your business.

How do you find great networking opportunities?

As an entrepreneur, I have been able to find many networking opportunities to help me network with other entrepreneurs. As a professional working for another company, networking opportunities are a little harder to find. Below are some of the options that I have found that you might find helpful in meeting other professionals.

Industry Associations. If you are working in the technology field, marketing field, HR field or other specific fields, there are associations that are targeted to the industry. If you are in an active metropolitan area, these association typically have local chapters that meeting either monthly or bi-monthly. If you’re in Atlanta, see below for the list of my favorite industry associations that have great opportunities.

Networking Events. Events that are specifically targeted to corporate professionals are a little hard to find, but there more that have been popping up lately. A couple of great ways to find events are through Eventbright.com and Meetup.com. These are both sites that event organizers use to advertise their events.

Volunteer opportunities. There are many organizations that look for volunteers to help. Find a cause that you feel passionately about. You can typically find that they need volunteers for their charity events, they may need help in their office. You might even find that you can use some of your business skills to help them with their fundraising or organization.

Chambers of Commerce. Most cities have a Chamber of Commerce that meets on a regular basis. These are great places to meet people from lots of different industries. My local Chamber of Commerce has multiple options every month, with one of the best been a monthly luncheon with some great opportunities to meet new people and learn something.

Organize your own connections. I’m sure you already have some great connections who are also looking for events where they can meet people from other companies or industries. Set a time, send out an invitation. Let everyone know what your intention is and that they should bring someone they know from another company to take advantage of the connections they can make.

What do you do once you meet all of these new people?

Now that you are making a lot more connections how do you keep your new network active?

Gather business cards and makes sure that you capture their information. You can use one of the many options that are available to managing contacts. Or you can just create a simple spreadsheet (I use Google Sheets) to manage all of the contacts and make sure that you maintain their contact information.

Connect with each person on LinkedIn. Depending on how you use the other social media platforms you can connect with them on the other platforms. I know a lot of people who only use LinkedIn for their business contacts and that’s ok.

Find reasons to stay in touch.

If you come across some information you think they might find interesting, send it with a personal note.

Pick up the phone and call to check in and see how things are going.

Invite them to meetup for coffee or a drink just to get to know one another.

Once you start seeing more people show up in your network, you will begin to learn more, do more, be more. If you ever have to make a big decision like leaving a job or starting a business or raising money for your favorite charity, you will be much more confident in your ability to meet your goals. You will know so many people who will be more than happy to help you.

Best Associations in metro Atlanta to meet other Professionals:

Technology Association of Georgia (www.tagonline.org)

Project Management Association (www.pmiatlanta.org)

Association of Change Management Professionals (www.acmpatlanta.org)

Society for Human Resource Management (www.shrmatlanta.org)

I would love to hear about what associations that you like to interact with in the comments.