Career Changing: Building a New Network (3/4)

Posted by scdc on March 15, 2010 under CAREER MANAGEMENT, NETWORKING | Be the First to Comment

A positive attitude with matching behavior is fundamental to getting started and sustaining momentum. The next step is building a new network in your field of interest. For most people, networking is an onerous task, but if you think about it as building a professional community (i.e., building mutual and reciprocal relationships with people that will last your professional career), it usually becomes easier to see how you do this every day unintentionally.

So where do you meet this new network?

• Join professional associations in your new field and attend workshops, networking events and conferences.
• Use your LinkedIn. Review your current connections’ contacts and see if these individuals know anyone in your field of interest and asked to be “introduced” by your current contacts.
• Try “Meetups” (i.e., meetup.com) that are in an area of interest.
• Attend events at your alma mater that are about your new field.

You should immediately get active in your new professional community. Meet people at these events and establish new networks, colleagues, community. Setting up informational interviews are a wonderful tool to begin developing relationships and gathering information about next steps. It’s important to meet the person with a set of prepared questions, but with openness to let the person go in their own direction. This may provide you with key information that you were not going to ask about.  Some key practices to always remember are: always meet in a public place (e.g., coffee shop, office), never go beyond the time allotted (i.e., if you are offered 30 minutes, make sure that you are wrapped by 30 minutes unless your contact is okay with it going over time), and keep it professional always.

It important that the last question of your informational interview be “do you know anyone else who would be willing to speak with me about their experiences in the field?” This assists you in building your contacts and having a reference which will smooth the transition.

To sustain these relationships always remember to:

• Act reciprocally – look out for your contacts as much as you hope them to look out for you.
• Stay in regular contact – getting and giving updates.
• Send thank you notes.
• Be polite, warm and positive and maintain appropriate boundaries.

Always remember that your current network may also be a fabulous resource and provide support, contacts, advice. You should build on your current network and begin to develop new branches that may assist you in finding a position in your new field.