Networking for Career Success

By Vicki Burger

Whether you’re looking for a new job, or not, career experts recommend that you continually do some career networking. It is tempting to procrastinate when it comes to networking ... it is one of those things that we often don’t do until we need it!

What’s your attitude toward networking? Do you see it as just “schmoozing” or being insincere? Some job seekers even view networking as “begging strangers for a job!” None of these is further from the truth. The benefits of career networking include ...

• Networking helps you do your current job better ... anyone you might want to contact is only four or five people away from you!
• Networking prepares you when you are in a position to look for a new job ... 70% of all jobs are found through networking!

Think of it this way ... when you ask your neighbor for the name of their great furnace repairman, you are networking. You are using the information and experiences of your friends to increase your knowledge and connections, resulting in better decisions and more opportunities!

So, how do you get started building and developing your successful career network? It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. First, Know Who’s In Your Network

I often hear people say, “I don’t have a network!” Well, I would bet that you do. Your network is everyone that you have or do work with, see at social meetings, do personal and professional business with! You may be able to recognize your “network” if you compile a list of them in different categories, such as:

• Professional Network
• Associates through associations or committees; these are very valuable resources for brainstorming new ideas, connecting with the underground job market, keeping aware of trends in libraries, etc.
• Colleagues; include your supervisors and managers in this list; become aware of the people that they know!
• Vendors and Consultants to your library; depending upon your position with the library you may work with software, publishing, maintenance, or equipment vendors. Remember, these people have many clients!
• Personal Network
• Relatives
• Close Friends
• Current or Previous Neighbors
• Your Lawyer, Accountant, Insurance Agent, etc.
• Religious, Social or School Organization contacts

2. Second, Organize Your Information

You will want to keep some basic information about each contact such as, work phone number, position title, committees you have worked with on, etc. You can maintain this information in something as elaborate as a database or contact software or as simple as a three ring binder using a pencil! If you collect business cards (a good idea, by the way) write on the back any information that may help you remember the person or information about special expertise or contacts that the individual may have.

3. And third, Start Expanding Your Career Network

• Attend any meetings at your own library.
• Volunteer for committees at your library or in your library system.
• Attend your local or state library association meetings.

Remember to always have business cards with you at meetings, etc. If in your position you are not provided “official” library business cards, consider having a personal card printed. There are websites that furnish them for free.

As Marcia Dewy, Circulation Manager for Ela Public Library (Lake Zurich, Ill., a suburb of Chicago) says, “sometimes you have to move out of your comfort zone ... but I have always found other library people to be very open and interested. I can remember attending my first system committee meeting. I sat at a table of people, not knowing ANYONE. Almost immediately they were introducing themselves and wanting to know about me and my library!”

So you go to a meeting. Then what?

It is helpful to have a “90 second” introduction ready so that you are prepared to answer the inevitable, “tell me about yourself.” This introduction may include:

• Your position, department and library:
  I’m Susan Murphy, Popular Materials Assistant at the Memorial Public Library in Springfield, Missouri.

• Something unique about your library others may not know:
  You may have noticed that our Head of Reference is a presenter later this afternoon on filtering software.

• A POSITIVE reflection, observation or question about the conference, workshop or committee session:
  I enjoyed the keynote speaker this morning ... wasn’t she entertaining!

Remember, you will also want to polish up your “small talk” skills. And don’t forget that most people are interested in talking about themselves, so ask questions!

Want more information about networking? Here are a few resources.

• Salmon, Michael. SuperNetworking. Career Press, 2004.
• Baber, Anne. Make Your Contacts Count. AMACOM, 2002.
• Fisher, Donna. Professional Networking For Dummies. Hungry Minds, 2001.
• Hansen, Katherine. A Foot In The Door: Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market. Ten Speed Press, 2000.