Personal Networking For Success

There is an old saying: "It's not what you know - it''s who you know." Proving this adage to be relevant today, Jo Parfitt discusses the benefits that networking with others can bring to your personal and professional life.

They say that the more people you know, the luckier you will be. Of course, the more people you know the more likely you are to hear of a great opportunity. When you are looking for your first job, nothing is more effective than networking. A massive 75 per cent of all jobs are found not through agencies, not through newspaper advertisements, but because of personal connections.

Gwen Rhys has specialised in helping other people to network since 1997 and her speaking engagements take her all over the world. She calls herself a "network catalyst" and puts her success down to having a genuine interest in people, places and things.

"I define the importance of networking as developing and nurturing a network of contacts in order to maximise opportunities for oneself and others," says Rhys. "I believe it is a core skill and a key tool." Rhys recognises that people are more mobile than ever and for her, a personal network of contacts becomes "a portable community".

Network to find a job

Christa Zihlmann used networking to find her latest job. Christa works for Mercer Human Resource Consulting as International Mobility Manager for Belgium and Luxembourg and lives in Geneva. "I'd been in Paris for five years and wanted to move on, so I called my old colleagues at the UN in Geneva and through a colleague I got the name of a headhunter. We became friends and she found me this job."

Christa has always networked and does so because she likes to meet women of other nationalities, background and thinking. "It keeps me informed of what is going on in other countries and different professional environments. It is good not to feel alone with my ideas and has stimulated me to think differently and look at different ways of doing things," she concludes.

Network to help you settle in

Will Kintish is the UK's leading authority on how to become a confident and effective networker. He believes that networking is crucial for someone when they start a new job in a new country. "Get involved in social clubs, sports areas, charity committees and so on. In the office too, you need to get out there and meet people, be visible. So smile when you walk down the corridor and talk to people at the coffee machine. You must let as many people as possible know that you exist," he advises.

Recent language graduate, Rebecca Law, threw caution to the wind, when only a few months ago she relocated to Holland to pursue a new career in a new country. "In circumstances like this," she says, "I cannot advocate the power of networking enough; international organisations and the expat community in general are made up predominantly of married couples, so when people relocate, they usually have an instant support network. Being single, I didn't have that luxury."

Rebecca, who has become involved in a local band, joined women's networking groups and begun reviewing music events for a newspaper, claims that networking has been her single most important tool for settling in. "Even informal, social gatherings have proved invaluable, enabling me to become fully integrated and opening up more opportunities to boot. The connections I've made through networking have also made me a rich resource and I am now of more value to potential and current employers."

Networking is so simple

Andy Lopata is the Managing Director of Business Referral Exchange (BRE), a UK based networking breakfast group. A breakfast meeting can be a great way to meet lots of people in a variety of businesses in a fairly informal setting and at a convenient time. "Just a couple of phone calls is all it takes to make a big difference to someone else," he says. "In networking a small ripple can create huge waves. When you find yourself able to give someone a contact name or a bit of advice, don't stop to think what you have to gain. If it's easy, just do it."

When Andy meets someone new he makes the effort to listen to them. He uses what he terms "the first tool of networking", which is to pursue the relationship and not the sale. He could see a chance meeting as an opportunity to tell someone all about his business, instead he listens.

Where to find your network

As Kintish explains, valuable members of your own network come from all areas of your life. From your personal life, family, social life and workplace. Some of the most important people you will ever meet for your career will be found in the professional organisations you can join and the conferences you can attend connected with your specialism.

Today, an increasing number of people are networking virtually too, with international groups like Ecademy.com providing tens of thousands of connections, discussion forums and opportunities to share your knowledge. Everyone you meet deserves a place in your network wherever or however you meet them.

Networking matters

And once you join the mobile community of expatriates and international employees, networking becomes still more important. The more contacts you make the more clients you can make for your business and the more people you will have to turn to for advice or referrals. Remember that people like people who are like them. People do business with people they know, like and trust.

Plan your networking carefully. Work out how and where you might network locally, at breakfast clubs, evening meetings or in your own workplace. As you work on the international scene you will need to network internationally too, at conferences, perhaps. Add to your networking further by joining a selection of internet based networks and, with your growing, personal database as your "portable business community" your career can stay on track.

Jo Parfitt is an international journalist, author and dual career expert. She has written several books on networking and overseas careers. You can find out more about her work at: www.summertimepublishing.com.