Time for my monthly update where YOU keep me accountable and I get to hear how you are doing with the 4 X 4 Networking Challenge (read here for my Jan and Feb updates). Have you asked someone to go on an informational interview or called up a friend you haven’t spoken to in awhile for lunch? If you have, I would love to hear about it!
As always, I learned a LOT this month. I always thought that the first month of this challenge would be the easiest because I would eventually run out of people to interview. Exactly the OPPOSITE! Everyone I interview has other people that they want me to talk to. This has led to many more informational interviews and people that I can learn from. I have begun to really look forward to conversations and no longer rely on my trusty list of questions to ask. My conversations are much easier and I am much more relaxed. And it is now much easier to leave for a quick lunch or coffee or escape for 15 minutes for a quick phone informational interview.
This month I caught up with a high school friend and three college friends that I haven’t seen in many months due to my crazy MBA school schedule. I also caught up with 4 people who were referred from other people. I met with a recruiter, 2 people at my current company and a woman who started her own training company. I also did something that I have been planning to do for many months now. I attended an American Society For Training & Development (ASTD) meeting and really enjoyed the speakers and people who I met. I exchanged business cards with three people who I am now going to be meeting for lunch in April!
I hope this update makes you see how easy networking can really be. After three months, it has now become a habit to ask people to go to lunch and it doesn’t seem like a pain to juggle my schedule. I know that these interviews will only lead me to new and exciting adventures in the future and I am excited to find out what those may be.
About Anna Runyan
Networking becomes easier the more you do it. Like everything else in life, it takes practice.
I am currently searching for a new job after being laid off from my company after 13 yrs. I had not expected to be back in the job search process and was caught off guard without an updated resume. The past month has been spent revamping my resume and establishing a Linkedin profile. At first I was a bit nervous to connect with former colleagues, its been several months since my layoff. I am happy to say that almost everyone has been receptive and offered tips and suggestions. I've met an old colleague for dinner and also has 3 people help me internally at thier companies with referrals.
Go girl!
I do find networking easy. I keep up on all social media platforms and don't hesitate to reach out if I need something. What goes around, comes around!
Wow, you have been busy catching up and meeting people. Glad to hear it is going so well.
That is awesome to hear! It's like…practice makes perfect! I don't find networking all that hard, I think its because I always want to make new friends. When I feel like I'm just making a friend, it doesn't seem near as hard to approach
Best networking is when you don't realize that you are networking! When you're focusing on making friends and keeping friendships and such, then often times those friends can become your best support in the job hunt.
Connect with everyone on Linked In. As you job hunt, you might just find out that a personal friend knows someone at the company you are applying for! They can make an introduction.