Networking the right way

I strongly believe that what goes around, comes around. My north star for networking has always been about making human connections that travel with me beyond conversations, interviews, jobs, companies and careers.

In this week's nugget, I'm sharing a few simple things I practice to make my networking efforts a 2-way street than a 1-way transaction.

1) Know before I go

• Do some due diligence to understand their journey & experiences, look beyond the obvious
• Takes notes on what inspires me about them and more importantly why I want to connect
• 'Follow' them if I don't have a good enough reason to 'Connect' just yet (more on this)

2) Personalize invites

• Include 1-2 lines on why I'd like to connect, who I am, and what are my motivations
• Add references to their story to make it relevant and genuine
• Ask if they are open to connect and their preferences without making any assumptions

3) Get specific

• Cull through small talk and get deliberate about what help I am seeking within first 5 mins (or first 3 lines)
• Never ask common questions which I can easily search on the internet - that's not a good use of their time
• Tailor my questions to intersect their expertise with my career path

?4) Practice gratitude

• Send meaningful thank you notes (high on EQ) to appreciate the time they spent with me
• Reach out after I complete an interview (irrespective of the result) to thank them for their support
• If I know someone personally, I sometimes go the distance to send a small gift (cake or candles)
• Going above and beyond to express gratitude has been the best thing I have done for myself

5) Amplify their voice

• Ask them what motivates them and endorse their cause or effort in any way I can
• Summarize my learnings from a talk or 1:1 mentoring and thank the hosts (one recent example)
• Engage in various forums by asking good questions or sharing reflections (one recent example)
• Comment on their posts for better reach into my network

6) Stay in touch

• Avoid "point-in-time" conversations by making people a part of my success stories
• Cheer them on career milestones or proud moments
• Check-in to just say hello I remember you - keep in touch when there is nothing to gain from the exchange

7) Give back

• Offer to reverse roles in mock interviews & mentoring if they would like (in future)
• Share the events I am attending with my network
• Ask if there is a social cause/charity they support and make a donation as a gesture of gratitude for their selfless help
• Refer someone I trust from my network if there is an offer that I cannot take up

There is no good way to quantify being human, but the ROI is priceless.

If you've reached the end of this nugget, I'd love to invite you to my networking challenge. Drop 1 tip about networking that has worked in the comments and don't forget to tag or share it with someone who might benefit from this read.