Networking used to come as something automatic. You’d do it in your community on and off the job. Nowadays with people relocating so often because their jobs require them to, it’s really difficult to establish that more intimate kind of network that lends to people wanting to recommend you for a job. Sure, there are social networking tools like the LinkedIn’s, the various other Web 2.0, yet they really leave users longing for something more.

Myself, I never bought into the whole networking fallacy. It’s been oversold. I actually like cold calling, making contacts with strangers I’ve never met before. Sure, it’s nice to be introduced through a referral to someone else. However, there’s just a certain high of creating something yourself. In an age where people are dieing to be made to feel important because they get no support from their friends or family, a stranger who’s paid genuine attention and shows that initiative can get noticed. Then you stand out as someone who makes it on what they know, not who and the backroom deals of special favors.

One of my favorite chapters in “Never Eat Alone” is “Pinging – All The Time”. I’ve been informally networking all my life. I just viewed it as keeping in touch with friends who were former co-workers.

However, over the past couple of years I’ve learned it is very important to formalize pinging. This was due to the observation of how many people I had lost touch with over the years due to no or infrequent pinging. Sure LinkedIn has been an excellent aid for reconnecting with people from the past, but nothing beats JibberJobber for scheduling and reminding me to ping. In his book, Keith Ferrazzi states that pinging is 80% of what is required for building and maintaining relationships.

What to ping about is another topic but basically it should be of value to and queries about others, and not about you as much as possible.

What creates anxiety for both social butter flies and introverts is encapsulating networking as an individual event. The stress level goes through the roof because a person thinks “at this time, on this date, at this location I’m going to connect with people and give my elevator speech multiple times. This is waaay tooo much pressure we place on ourselves. Everyday life throughout the world is a networking opportunity full of per chance meetings. Don’t stress yourself.

I say relax, enjoy life and carry business cards. A walk in the park can just as easily be a networking opportunity or a simple package delivery interaction from the Fedex person.

Carl E. Reid, CSI
Developer of Career Management Swiss Army Knife w/Smart Radar

Jill Pugh
http://www.EmploymentLawWA.com

If we’re trying to build relationships, doesn’t it make sense that we want relationships built on respect and some appreciation? The response to a hand written thank you note will amaze you. (Yes, snail mail still works and can make a big impact in today’s technology blare.)

The sooner people understand about helping others and building relationships instead of walking out the layoff door and not even getting e-mail addresses and phone numbers of people they want to stay in touch with, the better off everyone will be in this networked world.

You don’t think your company is going to help you build your career and find your next job, do you?