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In the 4 years that I’ve spent with CFMS Consulting, I’ve learned many useful skills from the people around me that have helped propel my career on to a promising path, but none more important than networking. Though it is often overlooked in favor of more specific, job-related tools, networking is the blanket that can be fallen back onto when all else fails.
Whether you’re looking for investors, opportunities or just new business relationships, networking is a fundamental tool that if done right, can yield untold bounty. It plays upon the idea that as humans, we all need each other for comfort, convenience and contact. This rings true in both your personal life and in the business world. If you ask someone for ideas / thoughts / references, that person will likely help you either personally or through another 3rd party contact who can better serve your needs with the knowledge that in the future, should they require assistance from you, you will gladly reciprocate.
The great thing about networking is that you do it every day. Anytime you visit relatives, talk with friends or discuss jobs with co-workers, you are networking. Practise however, although important for projecting a more confident and knowledgeable image, does not alone make you a self-marketing genius. You need authenticity, expertise, and a proper schedule if you are going to turn heads and succeed. The following 5 points can help set you on the path to success.
1. Make use of all available tools. Join organizations that relate to your business, attend conventions and host lunch-and-learns. Here at CFMS, we have employees who are members of ASHRAE, CHES, AEE, BCA and PEO, as well as LEED accredited professionals. We have taken part in the Energy Matters Summit, the Mayors Megawatt Challenge and attended Greenbuild, and can attest to their positive influence in our own networks. Another important item to note is to stock up on business cards and be generous with them. Nothing beats meeting in person and shaking someone’s hand. You are more likely to make a connection, find common ground and be remembered. However, in today’s world, networking has taken on a virtual role that effectively compliments the tried and true method of conversation. LinkedIn is a social network for professionals that allows you to establish leadership in specific domains, conduct market research and build an online presence for yourself or your company.
2. Ensure to treat others as you would like to be treated. If you want a potential client or business partner to answer their emails or return phone calls, you must treat them with the same respect and address your emails and phone calls. Networking means keeping in contact with that person, staying up to date with their activities as it relates to you, and providing suggestions on your side for prospective opportunities or endeavours. Give them a reason for the relationship, and it will grow exponentially.
3. Hand in hand with this is making networking a priority, no matter what the current outlook is. There should be no end in sight. If you are successful in whatever it is you are trying to acquire, inform your contacts of your success and thank them for their help. Call them from time to time without any hidden agenda other than to say hello. Offer your assistance in anything they might need. By networking in down times, you create a landscape of contacts to assist you in anything that arises in the future.
4. If a contact provides you with referrals or information you requested, ensure you ask them if it is alright for you to mention them as your source when contacting the person in question. This is purely out of courtesy towards your contact. By using their information, you are capitalizing on their reputation in the business world, and it is important that they are both aware and approve of this.
5. Nobody is too successful to network. Do not be intimidated by someone who is in a position of authority or high up in an organization. Sometimes these people are, in a sense, isolated specifically because of their senior position. Often these people are happy to discuss strategies and impart wisdom to people that can benefit from it. Our senior team at CFMS collectively commands over 130 years of experience in fields both directly and indirectly related to commissioning, and are always ready to impart their knowledge and sound advice on those who are willing and eager. In the same breath, ensure that when you reach that point in your career, you also take the time to network with the next generation. “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”. Everybody has heard this saying at one time or another, and it is as true now as it has ever been. Talk with others around you, share your experiences, help them to get where they are going and they will in turn help you to succeed. Laugh when you can and enjoy each other’s company, because life isn’t just about business, and neither is successful networking. It’s about people.
References:
Axfor, Vickie. Tips on How to Network Successfully. www.alumni.berkeley.edu. Retrieved September 6th, 2013, from http://alumni.berkeley.edu/services/career-services/resources/articles/networking/tips-how-network-successfully
Powers, Ed. Successful Networking Your Way. www.inc.com. Retrieved September 6th, 2013, from http://www.inc.com/ed-powers/successful-networking-your-way.html
Besson, Taunee. Six Tips for Successful Networking. www.careercast.com. Retrieved September 6th, 2013, from http://www.careercast.com/career-news/six-tips-successful-networking