How to Network

Take the “Work” Out of Virtual Networking

If you were able to attend WBW Champion Nehal Mehta’s webinar on networking, you know there was a lot of very useful information for everyone in attendance, not just Returners. But as a Returner organization, I wanted to pull out some of the tips that I feel are useful for Returners so that you can start, or continue, building your network. Let’s start with Nehal’s 10-10-10 rule.

Spend 10 minutes per day networking.
Add 10 contacts per day when looking for a job
Add 10 contacts per week when not looking for a job.

10 Minutes Per Day
Traditional
The 10 minutes per day is obviously going to vary depending on what your day is like. But the key here is that you need to make an effort to talk to people. And maybe you start out slowly. Do you have a child who plays sports? Strike up a conversation with some of the other parents during a game. There’s nothing a parent loves talking about more than their children. Or maybe you have a child who is participating in the science fair. Take the same approach. Most people enjoy connecting with others over things they have in common.

Don’t have active kids? Join a local group that interests you or take a class. And then talk to people. Ask them how they got involved with the group or why they took the class. Meet someone for coffee or lunch. It could be a past colleague, a friend you haven’t seen for a while, or even a neighbor that you never seem to have time to talk to beyond a casual “hi”. Breaking the ice can be difficult, but you will reap the rewards of making new friends and growing your network if you do.

Virtual
Look for online groups that are a fit for your interests, whether its professional interests or personal. It could be bird watching, knitting, barbecuing, coding, project management, etc. Start connecting now online so that you can transition to in-person networking when the time is appropriate.

You can also attend the WBW Power Hours. There is a virtual option if you visit the Power Hour page on our website. It’s a great way to meet fellow Returners and even get connected to other Returners who have already landed a job. Simply ask the team during the call if there is someone you can connect with.

10 Contacts Per Day
Adding 10 LinkedIn contacts per day when you’ve been out of the workforce can be difficult for sure. So, if 10 doesn’t work for you, try 5, or 3. But pick a number and do your best to hit that goal. And you’ll want to add contacts shortly after you’ve had some sort of connection with them, whether it’s through a Zoom call or in person. Look them up on LinkedIn and send an invite to connect. They will be flattered, and you’ll have a new addition to your network. Then, once you land a job, remember to keep up the networking by adding 10 contacts per week.

Networking Best Practices
How do you start up a conversation? Here are the tips Nehal offered with some examples.

1. Bring up things that they told you about in the past.
For example, “How did Josie’s soccer game go last weekend?”, or “Did you ever get that barbeque you were talking about?” This is a genuine way to make people feel valued.

2. Offer to help.
This could be something someone is doing at the moment like trying to put luggage in the overhead compartment or it could be something they told you about during a conversation and you are now getting back to them with some help. Maybe they were having trouble finding a good babysitter or gardener. No matter how small your gesture, it will be remembered.

3. Complement them or provide positive feedback.
“I love your shoes” “That’s a very cute baby” “Can I pet your dog?” are all good ways to make someone feel comfortable and more likely to engage in a conversation.

4. Follow up
If you told someone you would get back to them, make sure you do it.

5. Make an introduction
Be a connector. Introduce people that are likely to benefit from knowing each other.

The 5 Key People in Your Network
This concept is especially challenging for Returners. Many of the people Nehal mentioned are likely found in your workplace. But the key here is to really try to add people that have value for your network. Are you a software engineer? Take a class that is in a classroom and not online where you can meet other software engineers. Are you in marketing? Find meetups where local marketing people will be in attendance. It might push you out of your comfort zone, but that’s where the impactful activities happen.

Questions

We also got some good questions from Returners during the webinar that may not have been fully answered due to time constraints, so I wanted to take the time to provide a more detailed answer.

Who should be in your network?
Virtually everyone you meet or have met is a good candidate for your network. This includes neighbors, children’s teachers, parents of your children’s friends, people you meet at the gym, past colleagues, university alumni, people in line at the grocery store, etc. The opportunities are endless if you just make the effort to strike up a conversation. And it’s important to remember that you will not succeed with every conversation that you have, but for those that you didn’t add to your network, you will have made someone else’s day a little better by showing a genuine interest in them.

LinkedIn also has a great tool that helps suggest connections based on your activity and current connections. The link is at the top of the page and is called My Network. Just click on it and scroll through all of the recommendations to see if there are any that make sense to connect with. I recommend doing this on a weekly basis as the recommended connections will change over time. And remember to write a brief, personalized note with any connection request.

How do I approach past colleagues for recommendations on LinkedIn?

Asking for LinkedIn recommendations can be intimidating, especially if you haven’t spoken to the individual in years. But I have found, if you had a good working relationship, past colleagues are often happy to help out. The challenge you will find is that your contact may have difficulty finding time to do it.

To avoid this, you can offer to provide a few main points you would like to have in the recommendation. This can include things like you work well within teams, or that you are a creative problem solver, or they can emphasize your expertise with a particular software or deep knowledge about a specific subject. If you provide them with some guidance, it will make it easier for them to complete it.

Also, take the initiative to provide recommendations for past colleagues. They will be extremely grateful and likely message you. If you feel it is appropriate, you can ask them to provide one for you in return. Just be careful that you don‘t sound like you expect it. Your recommendation of them needs to be authentic and free from obligation on their part.

When can I ask for an informal meeting?
There’s nothing wrong with asking a past colleague or acquaintance if they can meet for coffee. Be sure you explain that you are looking to get back in the job market and want to get their feedback on a few things. They will be flattered and should be happy to help. But do try to avoid asking specifically about openings at their company. It is your job to find those job openings, and should you find something at their company that is a fit, you can ask them to forward your resume to the hiring manager. The key to informal meetings is to make a genuine connection so that individual feels comfortable recommending you should something come up.

How big should your network be?
There are no limits. The bigger your network, the better off you are.

Can I connect with someone I interviewed with but didn’t hire me?
This one is tricky. I recommend sending your connection request before the interview with a note saying that you are looking forward to meeting them and discussing the position. They may, or may not, connect with you. But this is your best chance to connect.

How do I give back to my network connections?
The easiest way is to interact with the content they post. Providing comments is the best way but you can also click on a reaction or if you really want to give back, write a recommendation for them. Just make sure any recommendation is honest and based on work-related interactions you’ve had with them.

How can I be a mentor if I haven’t worked for a while?
Your life experience means that there is someone out there that can benefit from your knowledge. Check in with your local high schools to see if they accept mentors for their students. And what about your college alma mater? Certainly, there are students who could use your insight into navigating college.

How does an introvert network?
I consider myself an introvert. Put me in a room with my computer for hours at a time and I’m at my happiest. But tell me I have go to a party where I don’t know very many people and I will not only try to come up with an excuse not to attend, I will dread every minute of being there. Networking is not something that comes naturally to us introverts.

But what I have learned to do is to be friendly. Which often turns into conversations, which is the best type of networking because its authentic. So be friendly. Ask people questions. Get people talking. I promise its easy once you get the hang of it.

From one introvert to another, making the effort to network is worth it. Striking up conversation with people is something I rarely think about doing. But I will tell you, when I do make the effort, I am always glad that I did.

Action Item for Introverts
The easiest way to start a conversation is to compliment someone. Tell someone their dog is cute, or ask them where they got their hat or shoes. At the very least, they will smile and say thank you or hopefully answer your question. It may not lead to adding someone to your network but it’s a great way to get used to striking up a conversation. Set a goal of 3, 5, or 10 compliments per day and then hit your goals. Before you know it, striking up conversations with others will become second nature.

Conclusion
Networking takes practice. So I’d like to leave you with a great example of a networking message that was sent to WBW Program Director, Deepika Chhibber the day after the webinar. You can use this for inspiration. The Returner who wrote it used item #3 from networking best practices and then asked for a meeting. It’s a great message.

Dear Deepika,
I wanted to congratulate you and the team for a job well done on a wonderful webinar hosted yesterday! I am looking forward to attending many more. Good luck in all your future events!! Let’s touch base one of these days – maybe early next week?

Thanks for reading and happy networking!