I don’t know how to build my network …

I should have paid more attention to networks and relationships …

I’m just not good at all that networking stuff …

Hindsight is a great thing, but really unhelpful when I’m trying to work out what to do next. I’m probably not the only one who seems to have these epiphanies about what I should have been doing when I’m knee deep in, well you know what.

My dad used to say, “Don’t drain the swamp until you take care of the alligators”, (a bit Forest Gump hey) but there is a ring of truth to this idea. Dealing with the problem is so much harder when the preparation work hasn’t been done. When I find myself looking for that new role, it’s made much easier when I have invested in myself and my career.

Our careers are subject to change in a moment. When it happens, the transition can be traumatic for some and take a while to navigate. In this volatile and uncertain times, we need to ensure that we build as strong a career foundation as we can.

This is what having a resilient career is all about.

It’s about ensuring that when I encounter some form of crappy moment (redundancy, demotion, business closure, financial issues, buy outs) that I have options … lots of options. This next 10 blogs are going to deal with tips to build a more resilient career. We are going to focus on practical ideas that might help you to weather the odd storm you might experience as your career unfolds. It’s going to take effort, commitment and energy to implement, but in doing so you scaffold your career for those moments where you need options.

Career Resilience Tip #1– Invest in building relationships.

I think that all of us have received that LinkedIn contact request from X that we used to work with 20 years ago (if you are a bit younger, 10 years ago). When we accept these ‘blast from the past’ contact requests, we then find that the person is “looking for that next opportunity”. Though we are all happy to assist I’m sure, it feels a bit contrived and let’s be honest, you can feel like you are being used a little.

We can’t rely on the building the network, whilst looking for the role, it needs to be in place already. Not only is it critical that you are looking to establish those relationships, we need to be investing our time on industry influencers, key decision makers and people that work in businesses that you aspire to work with, to ensure that when you need them, they will be responsive. As Stephen Covey (of 7 Habits fame) says, when the time comes to take a small emotional withdrawal, we have been making plenty of deposits.

Simple stuff to think about.

• Work out who is important to you and focus on developing a closer relationship. Make regular contact (send an article, seek them out at conferences, have a regular coffee) and keep your reputation and brand alive with them. Another quick tip … When doing so, make sure you have something to bring to the table.
• Find opportunities to work with them in project teams, attend their functions and stay up to date with what they are doing. be interested in their work world and stay up to date through LinkedIn.
• Uncover a few areas of mutual interest and ensure that you share / communicate these at appropriate times.
• Expand your knowledge of their industry contacts and relationships. There might be a few angles for introduction or connection with their broader network.
• Introduce them to others in your network that may be beneficial for both parties. We all love to meet new people through a warm introduction.

Good luck with building those networks. You never know when you might need them.

Layne Stretton – Workshop Facilitator

Yellow Box Careers