The 3 Step Plan To Networking Success

Networking is a fundamental part of modern business; especially in recruitment. However, there is a lack of training and resources available in comparison to things such as cold calling, social media skills and other types of business training. Perhaps it’s because people believe that to network is simply about turning up at an event and talking to a few people over a nice lunch. It can be, but that’s not effective networking. Below, we take a look at how to network effectively, and how it can benefit you as a recruiter.

The 3 Step Plan to Networking Success

1.  Prepare

– Before you even set foot into a networking event, it is vital that you do your preparation. Who is the organiser, why are they organising it? What is the attraction for delegates to attend?
 
– Get a list of who’s due to attend if you can. Do your research and pick out who you want to target. Time is limited at networking events, so you don’t want to miss talking to an important potential client.
 
– Use LinkedIn and Google image search to see if you can find out what your targets look like. Networking events are busy and if you know what someone looks like, it makes things so much easier.
 
– Set objectives – You need to set some desired outcomes to measure how effective your networking was.

2. Network

– Smile and be friendly. It’s amazing how many people look grumpy at networking events. Friendly people are far easier to talk to.
 
– Have a thick skin: ‘I’m in recruitment’ is a phrase that will make many people’s eyes glaze over and want to get away from you as quick as possible. It’s nothing personal; it’s just that people will think they’re going to get a sales pitch.
 
– The golden rule of networking is that it is about other people and helping them. The more interested you are in other people, the more interested they will be in you. Being ‘salesy’ and randomly handing business cards out is a big no-no.
 
– Make sure you have plenty of business cards, a diary and/or notepad and a pen. When you get given other people’s cards, write on the back where and when you met them, and anything else that may be relevant. That sort of information could come in very handy one day.

3. Follow-up

This is a crucial aspect of networking, and the one thing that the vast majority of people don’t do. Pop a quick email across to everyone you met within 48 hours of the networking event. It’s polite, and it marks you out as different from the other people they met, and can open a dialogue that could result in either direct business, or a lead for business elsewhere.

 Taking networking seriously is crucial if you want to both develop your desk and develop as a recruiter. Recruitment is a people business, and it may sound old fashioned and corny, but if you speak to enough of the right people, you’ll find the doors of opportunity opening all over the place.

Do you have any networking tips? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below…

Till next time,

Cheryl