What Exactly Is 'Networking,' and How Do I Build a 'Network'?

The lowdown on a very corporate, but very valuable, word.

Networking. The word seems to instill fear in most people’s hearts. I like to think of it as consciously creating relationships. As you network, you really are creating relationships with people. You never know where these relationships might lead.

The people you are meeting may be in your life for just that one meeting, or they could become your new best friend, introduce you to your partner, hire you when they move to their next job, send you a listing for a job you get—or you might hire them in five years. You just never know.

Who is your network? Everyone you know is the beginning of your network. Your friends, your family, friends of your parents, people from your church or synagogue or volunteer life, your cousin’s wife’s brother-in-law, people you sit next to at a dinner party. Your job is to tell everyone you know that you are looking for people to talk to about your area of interest. For example, if you are interested in health care, ask if they know anyone who works in the field and whether they will introduce you.

How do you use your network? Keep talking to everyone (see the page on informational interviewing in the first chapter). Ask everyone you speak with to suggest other people for you to contact. Sometimes, people you have never met before will open their entire Rolodexes to you. In fact, it’s only when you get to two or three people outside of your familiar circle (according to those who study networking) that things really start to happen. Make sure you keep in touch with the people in your network along the way. Thank them for making the time to speak with you. Ask them if you can touch base with them as your thinking evolves.

And remember: just because you find a job doesn’t mean the relationship building stops.