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Network correctly; don't be annoying

Network, network, network. Ask anyone how to get a job, or get a better job, or further the climb up the career ladder, and you're liable to get the advice to "network."

But there is one hitch with this advice: Many people don't do it right, and they hurt their chances of finding or keeping a job.

"If you don't network in the right way, you really annoy people," says Barbara Moses, a career advice expert. "You fail to establish a meaningful connection with them, and you truly miss out on important information."

How do you mess up when networking? Moses has a couple of examples:

  • "You dump your business cards on 5,000 people and drill them for contacts."

  • "You ask tons of questions about a person's job without really caring about it. All you want is 10 names to take home with you."

  • "The contact is not mutually beneficial. You don't have anything to offer them, but you take up their time, and claim you have something to offer."

  • "You know nothing about the person you contact. You haven't bothered to find out a thing, yet want them to spend hours filling you in on what they do in a typical day or week."

    Moses says for networking to work, it must be "mutually supportive," meaning you are available to the other person when needed. It doesn't mean you place a phone call once a year, then never have contact with someone again.

    "When you network properly," Moses says, "the other person is as likely to be the beneficiary as you are. You might learn about a possible merger at a customer's company, for example, while she gets the name of a great contact for raising money for a community association she belongs to."

    Moses stresses that before you make a contact, you should have a goal in mind. This can include finding out something new about a person, their company or an industry. The point is to establish a give-and-

    take relationship based on repeated contacts NOTE: and the patience to maintain a relationship even if there is no immediate payback.

    And, she adds, never, never, never try to make the other person believe the reason you are calling on them is because the relationship will be "mutually beneficial" when it won't be. "Many people will be willing to simply help you," Moses says. "But if you're not being truthful and claim you're doing them a favor then this person isn't going to want to be around you, let alone help you."

    Moses, author of The Good News About Careers, (Jossey-Bass, $25), says some good habits include:

  • Be mindful of the other person's time. Don't expect a face-to-face meeting. People don't have time. Consider contacting them by e-mail. If they choose to contact you, it will be on their schedule.

  • Clue them in. Don't make a phone call or face-to-face contact without offering some hint of who you are this person is not going to be expecting to hear from you, and taking them unaware will only make you seem arrogant like they should just know who you are.

  • Expand your horizons. Don't just network with people in your industry. Participating in social organizations offers you a chance to develop relationships with a variety of people, which not only enhances your professional networking, but your personal one as well.

    Write Anita Bruzzese c/o: Business Editor, Gannett News Service, 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, Va. 22107. For a reply, include a SASE.



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