Make a Networking Contact Each Day

The One-a-Day Technique

Talking about (or reading about) networking is not networking. So what you are doing right now (reading about networking) is not actually networking. You have to actually do something for it to be networking.

Networking is picking up your phone and making the call. It involves getting the phone time (or face time) to make a contact and make a request. You need to be networking consistently in your job search. An initial flurry of calls is not sufficient to keep your network alive and moving forward.

Set a personal goal to make at least one (remember, this is a minimum) networking contact per day. And voicemail does not count. Nor does sending an email. You need to make at least one live connection per day. Every day. It's really not as difficult as it may seem. Once you begin your networking, you will find that there are contacts whom you should be calling on a weekly basis. As your network expands, you will find additional contacts being added to your list almost daily.

Remember, networking is where many of the best jobs are found. The competition is low. The odds are high. Networking is by far your best opportunity for finding your new job. Keep up the momentum by making a minimum of one network connection per day.

The Law of Seven

The Law of Seven is a selling strategy which states that the sale cannot be considered lost until at least seven sales attempts have been made. Or the converse, which states that the sale sometimes will not be made until at least seven exposures to the product are completed. The Law of Seven is followed faithfully by advertisers who continually pummel us over and over with the same ad to ensure that we have reached the saturation point of product recognition.

The same principle applies to networking. It is not enough to contact people once, then cross your fingers and hope something happens. Networking is more than making one call or sending an email. You should regularly give your network contacts updated information on your job search and at the same time find out if they are aware of anything new. If you are actively pursuing employment, it's best to contact them once every two weeks. If you are passively seeking employment (i.e. once you are in a job and passively open to new opportunities), once every one or two months is sufficient. And what if they remain "cold" after seven contacts? Remember that seven is merely the minimum for making full impact. Do not stop making contact unless you are asked to do so. Some of the very best contacts may be the most difficult to fully develop a networking relationship. Use personal discretion in making contact (one voicemail per week is max unless there is a critical timing need), yet make sure you do your part to keep in touch.

Let your contacts know when their help resulted in positive action. We all appreciate positive feedback, and when you express yours, it helps encourage even greater success in the future.