Beware of Selfish Networkers & Don’t Become One Yourself
In a tough economy, the people who usually weather the storm better are the ones who have maintained their networks through the good times. We can do this by staying in touch, staying visible, and making time to assist others who have reached out to us.
I recently heard this story from a fellow author and speaker.
A few years ago, I got a call from a friend of a friend who had never paid any attention to maintaining a network. In fact, she had always discredited networking and thought it only for people with free time. She had recently been laid off from a large computer manufacturer in Austin and was not having any luck finding new employment. Two months had passed and, with a slow job market, she saw no prospects for employment. Many of her co-workers had already landed in new positions, and she discovered that all of them had found their opportunities through someone they knew.
Now that she needed a job, she was behind candidates who had an “in” for the few coveted openings. And so we had coffee. It quickly became clear that she was a person who did not know how to maintain a network. One of the first rules is to respect the others in your network. Here is what happened:
She invited me out then made it clear that she expected me to pick up the check since I was employed. If you invite someone to coffee or lunch you should expect to pick up the bill. If the person offers to pay, you can decide if it is appropriate but do not assume that because you are out of work, your guest should buy your lunch.
She was not grateful for my time. I had never met this woman before and yet I spent an hour listening to her situation. Networking is not free therapy. She mistakenly assumed that since I was a natural networker, that our time together was no big deal. She never said thank you when we parted. I never received any follow-up from her and, not surprisingly, I have never seen her again.
As you start networking and building your circle of career support, this is a story I hope you’ll keep in mind. Read more about the three people you’re likely to meet networking.
About the Author
Anne Brown is a former journalist who became involved in writing about career development and success strategies, after gaining experience in a wide variety of fields and industries herself. Anne has worked for universities, non-profits, start-ups, and large corporations. She’s worked in offices as large as tens of thousands, and for firms of less than ten. Before becoming the full-time editor of GradtoGreat.com, Anne was the Director of Operations & Senior Web Producer at Sender LLC, a design and digital brand consultancy in Chicago. She is also the founder of GradtoGreat.com and co-author of "Grad to Great: Discover the Secrets to Success in Your First Career" (Dalidaze Press, 2007) as well as "Some Assembly Required: A Networking Guide for Graduates" (New Year Publishing, May 2010). She received her B.A. from Michigan State University, and her MBA from Loyola University in Chicago. She is also an alumnus of the Executive Scholar program at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
