You would think that there would by plenty of resources available to help job seekers network more effectively Not so.

Sure there are some excellent Web sites where you can establish connections with others based on shared interests or work histories: networks of former employees, networks for school alumni and networks for those with common interests. But, after you identify someone you want to know, what do you say to encourage a meaningful dialog leading up to getting the information or help you expect they can offer?

Networking is more of an art than a science, a gift blending communication and interpersonal skills. If you haven’t been blessed with the networking gene, it’s a skill you should develop given that over 70 percent of executive level jobs are filled through personal connections. In fact, networking could be labeled mission critical to career advancement, where who you know outranks what you know, swaying decision-makers to choose between candidates.

Build and keep an active network as a form of career insurance. Networking is proven to deliver a competitive edge in the job market by hooking you up with inside leads to opportunities before they are announced to the general public.

Four Helpful Tips

1. Establish both strategic and practical networking expectations. Think of starting your network along the same lines that you would for launching a project.Take the lifecycle approach to specifying the stages and benchmarks of your networking efforts and keep those initiatives moving in the right direction towards your goals and objectives. If you have a vision directing the growth of your network, then you can use it as a guide governing who you want to meet, what you’d like out of specific interactions and how to prioritize networking activities.
   
   
   
2. Set networking goals and objectives for yourself. The process of building business relationships is similar to the process of building new personal relationships — depth, commitment, value, frequency, trust factor, etc. To accelerate these and help a networking relationship flourish, it takes effort, purposeful actions to cultivate and nurture the right qualities.
   
   
   
3. Determine what you want or need and make certain to return the favor. Purposefully networking means designing a network that includes relationships to further your goals. Forming connections and sharing experiences and gaining insights from others with similar goals, interests, beliefs, etc. will benefit you because such people are more likely to take to you, enjoy your company and want to assist and support you. Make a lasting positive impression and keep in touch. Remember that networking is a two-way street. Be sure to send your contacts a thank-you letter. Don’t measure, but give generously.
   
   
   
4. Use your time judiciously for networking being selective to seek out quality not quantity of connections. If you focus your efforts on opportunities that fit in with a plan, then a few strong relationships that are dependable and productive are better than a bunch of superficial connections that don’t provide meaningful support. You want to be on influential, well-networked contacts’ radars so they seek you out for advice, tasks or favors. When you network with and bond to those with whom you share common interests, the rest, i.e., more connections and good relationships furthering your goals, will follow naturally.

By establishing personal networking goals, returning all networking favors and using your networking time judiciously, you can dramatically improve your job search efforts and land a new job successfully.

© Debra Feldman, 2007

Debra Feldman is the JobWhiz™, a nationally-recognized expert who designs and personally implements swift, strategic, and customized senior level executive job search campaigns, banishing barriers that prevent immediate success. Her gift for Networking Purposefully™ and cold calling — executed with high energy and savvy panache — connects candidates directly to decision makers, not HR. Learn more about her groundbreaking techniques that compress job searches from months into weeks. Contact Debra now at http://www.jobwhiz.com/ to expedite your executive ascent!