What is networking skills?
A relatively modern term, networking may seem an alien concept to a lot of people and for those who may be aware of it, it could seem daunting to explore the networking arena due to the lack of exposure or lack of ideas on how to approach it to reap benefits.
Networking skills is the culmination of several other skills such as small talk, listening skills, elevator pitch and so on and like building a muscle it requires frequent practice in order for it to be perfected.
This skill also requires the person to demonstrate it in front of people and hence you would need an audience that can give you corrective feedback.
Networking is not only limited to specific networking events but also includes business gatherings, high teas, or a simple meeting over a cup of coffee. In our fast paced lives people have also grabbed the opportunity to network even in a elevator and hence introduced the concept of “elevator pitching”.
The crux remains the same introducing yourself and your domain of expertise to people while also understanding theirs’s. Over a period of time it would help you in broadening your network and locating which person to contact for which particular job or recommendation.
Why is it important?
Networking skills have become the base for building working relationships and maintaining existing ones. This is mainly because the job pool is comparatively smaller than the people applying for it and your talents alone may not be good enough to guarantee you the placement or the promotion.
In today’s world having excellent skill is not only advantageous but has become an essential skill. It no longer serves as an additional benefit but is now a must have if you are looking to scale up or explore newer and better opportunities.
From an employer’s point of view, there are a lot of people that would apply for a particular position. They could belong from diverse backgrounds with varied years of experience, For an employer this task could seem daunting because they may have never met these candidates applying for the job and would not be aware of the strengths and drawbacks that the candidates may possess.
On the other hand, if the candidate is a known person, someone they have met once or twice they would know how this person would suit the job profile and it makes it easier for them to judge the candidate. The candidate’s chances of landing the job also increases because it is common knowledge that jobs are usually offered to people who are well known to the employer as compared to a stranger.
This sole reason must be enough to motivate any person to start networking and build connections. Remember you don’t need to limit yourself only to your domain because connections across different fields may prove to be beneficial in the longer run.
How does it help in building a career?
1. It expands your visibility:
You could be possessing the best knowledge, excellent skills and could be the best at your job but your growth may have become stagnant or you may not have reached your true potential.
This could be because not too many people know of you or about the work that defines you. You rate of success is directly proportional to the number of people who know about you or in simpler terms, the branding that you have.
Branding does not have to be marketing and advertising but can also just be the visibility that you have.
In a lot of networking events, people go up to anyone they like and introduce themselves through their line of work or the expertise that they hold. This enables people to associate your name and face with a kind of work enabling them to know whom to contact if they ever need any work to be done in that particular stream.
Networking with people and building strong working relations will surely increase your visibility and allow you to expand your business and quicken the growth rate that you or your work can achieve.
2. It enables your perspective to grow:
Perspectives are formed through the exposure that you have, these could be through your family, friends or through you consuming news and ideas from various sources of media or by interacting with strangers.
Networking opportunities allow you to understand the different domains of work that exists because we currently live in a world where jobs are not restricted to major sectors but have expanded to include newer streams of work. Without having knowledge of these streams it may be difficult for you to understand ways in which these services could benefit you or your line of work.
Apart from being introduced to newer lines of work, it also helps in learning the success stories of people around you. They could be different ways to navigate the same challenges that you face without you being aware of it. By talking to people from different walk of life who have tackled similar challenges or may have faced stagnation/ hurdles that you currently may be undergoing, you get to broaden your perspective.
This isn’t limited to broadening your perspective about approaching the issue with a solution but also broadens your perspective about the issue at hand, it may transform into an opportunity with the right guidance!
3. It allows people from different professional levels to mingle:
How easy was it for you connecting with the higher ups in your organisation or to ask your seniors to give you guidance and feedback for your career graph to go high?
Either the people sitting at the top most positions are busy or may have reluctance in engaging in a feedback session or share their stories and tactics that worked for them.
A specifically designed networking event allows these barriers to be bridged purposefully. People from various backgrounds with varied years of experience get to mingle and share stories, connect with people that suit their needs or concerns and make a network of people that they can connect with whenever the need be.
4. Opens doors for you:
No not literally, but perhaps in the literal sense also if you are looking at walking through a door to meet with your new potential interviewer.
You see you could be great at what you do but may also possess additional skills that cannot be displayed or used optimally at your current role.
By getting to know more people you may realise that there are other avenues in which you additional skills could boost your career to the next level. It also means that you could explore better opportunities at growth and sustainability in your current workplace.
People are not hired just because of their skills, they are hired because of who they are. In the current scenario employers want employees that demonstrate skills like team collaboration, decision making, problem solving, cross cultural etiquette and the likes. These many skills cannot be demonstrated or explained in the 10 minutes that you get while facing an interview.
This is why it becomes important to introduce yourself to people and allow them to know you, your strengths and how you could benefit them. This way people are more likely to recommend you or consider you for the next big promotion or the next venture that they head out on.
Elements of networking skills:
1. Confidence:
Since this is the first time you will introduce yourself to a stranger or a group of strangers, be very sure of yourself, have a good sense of your self esteem. Your confidence and the manner in which you carry yourself will introduce you way before you speak anything. This is why you ought to be confident of yourself!
2. Building rapport:
Make meaningful connections with the people you wish to network with in the future. True human relationships are always built on trust and to gain the trust of another person you need to invest time in them.
Find common grounds such as shared interests or similar line of work or even your life outside of your work. Build genuine connections through familiarity and this will reap great reward for you in the long run.
3. Personal Branding:
Make a brand out of yourself and this does not mean starting a business but means that create a storyline unique to yourself. Present yourself with things that you bring to the table that is unique enough that it cannot be replicated. Identify your key skills and strongest points and use stories or instances where you can speak of them in a manner that people would remember you.
4. Elevator pitch:
An elevator ride would ideally take less than a minute, imagine you are on an elevator ride and meet a potential client or a potential partner or a potential firm you would like to work with, what would you say to introduce yourself and how would you say it?
Preparing this pitch makes you ever ready while speaking only of the most relevant points about yourself.
5. Emotional Intelligence:
Being aware of your emotions and that of the other person is a skill that will always come to your help. Knowing how to strike a cord with a stranger, knowing when to pitch to them or who to introduce them to, knowing what to say to break the awkwardness, these all are skills that will prove beneficial in networking.
6. Follow up and consistency:
For the network to grow and remain intact make sure to stay in touch. You do not have to be constantly texting them but you just need to stay in their loop, maybe once in a while ask them a relevant doubt related to their work or ask them for a help that you may need with your work.
How to use networking skills for optimal results?
Networking isn’t about collecting contacts and keeping their cards in you card holder, it is about building stronger relationships where both parties contribute in their growth.
This isn’t achieved just by 5 minutes of talk and promises to keep in touch but requires greater effort.
Here are ways in which using networking in the right way may guarantee you the best results:
i) Add value:
Do not stick to just introducing yourself only but also introduce other people that you know. If someone mentions that they need to work on their social media handles, introduce the best person you know for a social media manager. Offer solutions and add value to conversations without expecting anything in return.
This will brand you as a solution oriented person and more people are likely to reach out to you expanding your network.
ii) Work on your first impressions:
All the people attending such events are professionals who would want to invest in something or someone that appeals to them. Pay attention to how you present yourself, what you wear and how you posture and gestures are. Focus on how you speak, the words you use to describe yourself and your line of work.
The best way to do these is mirror work and once you identify gap areas, seek help through the internet or attend classes that can help you out.
iii) Categorise people and be selective:
You do not have to talk to everyone that you meet in your career and neither do you have to build meaningful relations with them. Gauge through a crowd and select people that seem inspiring and aspirational to you. Engaging with people that are better than you gives you motivation and the push to do better for yourself.
Find people that are worth investing time and effort in ensuring that both the parties pursue and build a mutually beneficial professional relationship.
iv) Master communication skills:
Express genuine interest in people and communicate with conviction when you are networking. To do so you must be proficient in your active listening, empathetic communication, small talk and rapport building and if the situation demands it then also in public speaking.
Adding these skills to your toolbox will help you have an edge over may others and brand yourself more effectively.
Things to be wary of:
As with any other skill, Networking is also a skill that needs to be practiced regularly and while practicing you may face several failures before finally mastering it.
Here are a few things you would like to avoid:
1. Forgetting names and details:
It defeats the entire purpose if you forget who does what and is from where and are unable to recall the name associated with a business card.
If memory isn’t your ally, make notes on their business card to help you keep a track of your contacts.
2. Over selling:
You do have to brand yourself but do not oversell or over promote you, your friends or your services, Allow people their own space and time to be curious and come approach you.
3. Not being genuine:
A big red signal is when people talk to you only for their benefit, nobody likes it and would avoid such people at all costs.
To not be this person, select people you are keenly interested to interact with and build your connections genuinely.
4. Dominating conversations:
Allow the person or group of people you are interacting with to express their opinions, be an attentive listener and let people introduce themselves and interact and mingle. Do not force people to interact with each other or worse, do not gather people around you so that you can speak as though you are addressing a crowd.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, mastering networking skills is essential for personal and professional growth. Building authentic connections, maintaining relationships, and offering value to others can open doors to new opportunities, collaborations, and insights. By improving communication, being proactive, and staying genuine, you can create a strong network that supports your long-term success
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