Reluctant Networker

Are You A
Reluctant
Networker?
Julie L. Bartimus, Career Coach
Julie.Bartimus@gmail.com

Networking
© 2019 Julie L. Bartimus, BartimusCareerConsulting.com
Friends’ View Mom’s View
Others’ Reaction
My View

Networking
What I would like to do What I actually do

Why
Network?
Goals for
Networking
Meet people with shared interests
Explore Career / Re-career options
Analyze the market
Identify trends, emerging fields and
industries
Learn about company culture
Get referred for jobs

Why not
networking?
• Unsure how to/where to start?
• Don’t know what to say
• Shy or embarrassed
• No time
• Overwhelming
• Don’t know anyone
• Don’t want to beg

Strategies
Understanding networking
(why and how)
Understanding your
preferences
Using your strengths
Building your professional
networking skills

Networking
Process
Set
objectives
Develop
list(s)
Message
Outreach
Prepare
Revise
and
refine

Set Goals & Objectives
• Identify short term and long term goals
• Set SMART goals
• Define success by those areas you control
• Go beyond “I need a job”
• Examples:
• I’ll introduce myself to at least 2 new people at the next
event
• I’ll research and join at least one professional group
within the next two weeks
• I’ll introduce myself to at least 3 new connections this
weeks
Set
objectives

Your Network
Connections
ie. Alumni
Colleagues
Friends
& Family
You
Develop
list(s)

Establish relationships
Develop your list of contacts ~
• Personal networks
• Professional networks
• Their contacts
• New personal/professional contacts
• Contacts of key decision-makers
• Decision-makers
Develop
list(s)

What’s Your Message
• Nouns (manager, writer, techie etc)
• Adjectives (creative, intelligent, innovative)
• Supporting skills, experience, knowledge and
accomplishments
• How can you build on this message over time?
Message

Crafting Your Message
• Your soundbyte, and presenting it
• 30-40 seconds
• Your core message and ‘buzz’ – a tagline
• Customizing
• Visibility, and spreading the message
• Individual contacts
• Meeting people at group events
• LinkedIn, other sites; Twitter; blogs
• Your messages are out there forever
• Google yourself
Message

Interaction:
Targeted One-on-One
• Begin with common interest(s)
• Continue with person/organization in common
• Your brief introduction and goal for gathering info
• Your request for targeted information
(Why are you talking with this particular person?)
Outreach

A Soundbyte Framework
(one-on-one)
Hi, I’m (name). Mary Smith suggested that I contact you
because of your career path in (abc). I have 3 years of
experience in communications and am exploring (abc) as an
area of interest and because (something specific). Would
you be willing to talk with me for 20-30 minutes, at your
convenience, to share (something relevant to the context)?

Interaction: In Groups
• Prepare
• Set a goal to talk with (x) people at the event
• Learn about the event, the speaker, the leaders
• Prepare to share (an article, new website, etc.)
• Carry out your goal, and stretch!
• Help others feel comfortable
• Introduce yourself, thank organizers and speakers
• Follow-up with contacts – soon!
Outreach

A Soundbyte Framework (event)
Hi, I’m (name). I’m a (job title/professional role), and my
experience has mainly been in (industry/types of
companies). I really enjoy my work in (types of projects
/something specific). I’m here to (hear the speaker/learn
more about the organization /meet people who have
interests similar to mine/ reconnect), [as I start looking at
the next possibilities for making a professional move].

Interaction: Virtual
(platform: LinkedIn)
• Have a robust and up-to-date profile
• Contact profiles give you information
• Find the commonalities
• www.linkedin.com/alumni
• Customize your email messages (be brief)
• Join, explore groups – make contacts
• Answer, ask questions of your groups
• Move away from the screen!
Outreach

Tune Your Message
• Deal with hesitations / obstacles
• Set your ‘networking reputation’ goal
• Prepare for specific interactions
• Your soundbyte / marketing tools (resume/handbill)
• Information about contacts
• Points for info sought / questions for contacts
• List of target companies (if in a job search)
• Know your strengths & preferences
• Have information to share
Prepare

Personal Business Cards
Other Tagline Examples
 Organization Development Leader
 Finance Professional
 Writing, Editing & Design
Outreach
Prepare

Networking Handbill
• Purpose
• An exercise to identify the types of contacts and referrals
you need
• When attending job clubs and other job seeker support
groups--copies for each attendee
• When you do other networking that is heavily focused on
getting more contacts
• What is included in a handbill?
• What kind of work you want to do
• How you are qualified to do that work
• Specific target contact requests
Prepare

Get Out There
and Network!
• Review Objectives: how are you doing?
• What about your timeline – set goals for
• Two weeks
• One, three, six months (esp. if in a job search)
• Who do you need to contact next?
• Return to your list of contacts; how are you doing?
• What event is best for you to attend
Revise and
refine

As You Move Through
Your Career
• So does everyone else ~ paths will cross
• Who is in your first tier
(keeping in regular touch)
• Who is in the next tier
(see at monthly meetings, annual conferences)
• Who is an occasional contact
• Connecting others & Nurturing the relationships
• Being a / finding decision-makers
• Making the time
Revise and
refine

Resources
Quiet: The Power of Introverts
in a World that Can’t Stop
Talking by Susan Cain
• Book review in "Quiet" Inspiration for
#WorldBookDay," 2 Mar 2017
• Susan Cain: The Power of Introverts
(video)
I’m on LinkedIn: Now What? By
Jason Alba
Network your Way To Your Next
Job FAST by Cylde C. Lowstuter
and David L. Robertson

Reluctant Networker

Reluctant Networker

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot(20)

Similar to Reluctant Networker

Similar to Reluctant Networker(20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded(13)

Reluctant Networker