Making The Connection

Do you dread networking?

Today I'm sharing some ideas that may change your perspective on making a connection with people who could actually help you.

I get it — networking isn't at the top of everyone's to-do list. It can be time-consuming, downright awkward on occasion, and — depending on your networking personality — incredibly draining.

When your calendar is already overcrowded with work appointments and family commitments, the last thing you want to do is make small talk with strangers at yet another cocktail party.

However, there's no denying the power a strong professional network can have over your career success. When it's done well, networking will not only help you land a job faster and it will give you a competitive edge throughout every stage of your career.

Here's why networking is important to your success, and what you can do to improve your networking skills throughout the course of your career development.

Networking isn't merely the exchange of information with others — and it's certainly not about begging for favors.

Networking is about establishing, building, and nurturing long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with the people you meet, whether you're waiting to order your morning coffee, participating in an intramural sports league, or attending a work conference.

You don't have to join several professional associations and attend every networking event that comes your way in order to be a successful networker.

Making The Connection - On Line

Network through social media

While social media is meant to be, well, social, that doesn't mean you can't use it to your advantage when it comes to building your professional network.

In fact, social media might be the best way to do your networking virtually.

When you're building your online network, focus on building meaningful LinkedIn connections and you'll get much better results.

Among the many social networking options available today, LinkedIn stands out as a top option for professionals and job seekers and professionals like you. The site and this group is specifically designed to foster business networking, which makes it an ideal place to develop your professional connections.

But having a few hundred or even a few thousand LinkedIn connections won't necessarily help your career; it's far better to have a few meaningful connections than a huge number of useless ones.

What is a meaningful LinkedIn connection

A meaningful connection is one that creates value for both parties involved.

Such connections can easily blossom into lifelong relationships, but for a meaningful connection to last, it has to be a two-way street.

If you're the only one getting anything out of the connection, why should the other person bother to stay connected?

Since LinkedIn is all about business networking, a meaningful LinkedIn connection likely involves adding professional value on some level. It might mean helping you to find that perfect job, providing advice and mentorship to boost your career, or giving you access to potential clients.

It’s about Finding the right person to connect with on LinkedIn

If you've spent any time on LinkedIn, you've no doubt received invitations to connect from total strangers, many of whom simply use the default LinkedIn request to connect. These requests typically come from people who adopt the “shotgun” approach to networking, building as many connections as they possibly can — regardless of whether a particular connection is likely to provide value or not.

Instead of adopting the “shotgun” approach, try focusing on quality over quantity.

A great place to start building connections is with the people you already know. LinkedIn offers several tools to help you find and connect with specific people:

“You can import a list of email contacts, browse through the “People you may know” section of your My Network page, or simply enter the person's name into the search bar on the LinkedIn homepage.

I recently reached out to experts, entrepreneurs, and authors who specialize in this area — from within my network and a few I wasn’t connected to — in order to learn more about connecting online and formulating messages that:

a) Are authentic to your personal brand

b) Will resonate with recipients at any level

If you are seeking advice on a career path?or job change

If you’ve been hesitant to reach out to people on LinkedIn, or if you’ve been reaching out and not hearing back, there are strategies you can use to increase your chances.

People aren’t employment oracles just waiting for your message soliciting their sage advice. Think deeply about the kind of guidance you want and then identify the most relevant person to approach.

“Clarity is key when you’re performing cold outreach,”?Cynthia Johnson, author of?Platform: The Art and Science of Personal Branding. “Assume that the person you’re reaching out to is busy and wants to give you the best advice possible.

If you’re direct and specific as to what you’re asking and why you’re asking them, you will have created the perfect environment for a confident and thoughtful response.”

Through my experience of being on this amazing platform, I would say, it’s all about giving. It’s about sharing your knowledge and being a resource to your audience.

This is how I built my connections with people. It’s not only waiting for others’ requests, you can approach people and connect with them; but you need to clearly communicate the purpose of connecting with a particular person.

My favorite underutilized LinkedIn feature for networking?

I love writing articles and how-to guides on LinkedIn for passive and in-person networking. It’s a great way for me to establish credibility and there’s no barrier to entry.

LinkedIn articles are also great for in-person networking. Whenever I speak with people in networking environments, I always try to add value to their current situation.

If that ever involves a job search or?personal branding, I can offer them links to my specific articles and how-to guides.

This helps me to stand out as a helper.

This often leads to connection requests on LinkedIn as well. That way, I can keep in contact with them after the in-person interaction. I also gain a new advocate for my services and resources. It’s a win-win every time.

As a LinkedIn user I'm continually expanding my reach and the best way I connect with people is to offer value to their growing network. So, if you and I haven't connected, let's get the ball rolling.