“I hate networking.”

I used to believe that.

I didn’t see the point.

It seemed like a waste of time.

It was for salespeople, not someone in my profession.

It seemed smarmy, begging people to pay attention to me.

I believed all of that…once.

But I don’t any longer.

And it is not because I am a small business owner looking for business.

It is because I have seen the power of networking with my own eyes.

The Power Of Networking

I had a boss that didn’t hate networking. Invariably when I went into her office, she was on her phone talking to someone and having what appeared to me to be a good time.

She would have these conversations multiple times a day.

Now you might think, how was she getting her work done?

The truth is that this was part of her work.

Her network helped her get things done.

Here is what her network helped her with:

• She bounced ideas off of them for new initiatives.

• When she had to do something new, she asked them about ”best practices" and what she should be aware of that might cause issues.

• When she had to have hard conversations, she talked with them about how to approach it and role-played.

• She asked her network for recommendations when she wanted to bring in a consultant or trainer.

• When she decided she needed a new job outside of the organization, her network brought opportunities and recommended agency recruiters for her to contact.

Her network helped her to be successful in her role.

That is the power of networking.

How To Change Your Mindset

Now I can hear you say, well, that is her. That won’t work for me.

Believe me; I thought the same thing…until I tried it.

And my world changed.

Instead of doing everything alone, I found I had a team of consultants there to help me. And they were happy to do it! Because not only were they helping me, but I could also help them, and I was happy to do it!

So with the example of my boss to spur me on, I worked on changing the “I hate networking” mindset to something positive.

Here is what I did.

• Understanding my why. How does networking help me reach my goals? When I understood this, I saw how doing this activity made sense and benefited me.

• Change my thoughts from “I have to network” to “I get to network.” Changing that one word made me realize that being able to network is a privilege that others might not have. Time, place, and circumstances may not allow others to do this activity, but I am fortunate that I can.

• Instead of saying, “I am not good at networking," say, “I am not good at networking yet.” This statement is an example of a growth mindset. We all have to start somewhere. It is okay to admit you might not be great at it. But do you have room to improve?

• Celebrate all my small successes. Remember the joke about how you eat an elephant? Answer: One bite at a time. That applies to networking. Take it one step at a time. And celebrate each success. Did you send out a cold outreach? Celebrate. Did you set up an informational interview with an alumna of your college? Celebrate. Did you go to a meet-up after initially thinking you might skip it? Celebrate. You did something that might not seem hard to others but was to you. Celebrate this. The more good feelings your brain associates with an activity, the easier it will be to do it again.

• It is okay to be my authentic self. Approach it with the desire to be you and not someone you think you need to be to get people to like you. I had to be okay that not everyone would like or be interested in me. I will attract some people; I will repel others. And that is how it should be.

What Changing Your Mindset About Networking Does

Okay. So let’s say you do change your mindset about networking. Will it really make that much of a difference?

So let me tell you how it has positively impacted my life and career.

• It has helped me do my job better. I feel comfortable going to my network and asking questions when I do not know the answer. I know I don’t know everything. We all have our areas of expertise. Since my network is diverse, there is usually someone that knows more about a topic than I do, and I can get the correct information quicker than if I had to search around for it.

• It has provided opportunities to collaborate. I have been invited to give input on articles and appear on podcasts because my network knows my areas of expertise and how I can help their audience.

• It has brought business opportunities. I am known, liked, and trusted in my network. That means those who know me often refer me to others they know could benefit from my services. This referral network accounts for more than 50% of my new business.

• It has helped me learn and grow. My network will challenge me on how I think and will alert me to new and exciting changes happening in the world of work and careers. There is a lot of information out there, and not enough time to research everything. My network routinely updates me with information that they think will interest me. This helps me be a better resource for my clients.

See For Yourself

Still skeptical? Why don’t you at least give it a try? 

When you see networking as a positive way to share ideas and support each other, amazing things can happen. You'll meet different kinds of people and learn new things. It can open doors to better job opportunities, mentorship, and exciting collaborations.

Who doesn’t want that?

My Career GPS can help job seekers put their best foot forward by providing the tools for a successful job search. If you need career coaching, resume strategy, interview skills assessment, or LinkedIn profile assistance, she can help. Schedule a 15-minute no-obligation consultation.