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By Lisa Yoon
Let's face it: Networking is not exactly America's favorite pastime. Yet we all know it's a must for those who aim to advance their careers as they search for their next job. Many job seekers hate networking so much that they put it off until they actually look for a job. This is a little late, of course; any professional should be networking continuously so that their circle of connections is in place when they need it.
Here's what many miss about networking: It isn't just important for job searching. It's also a critical activity that contributes to success on the job.
Just how critical is it? Let's hit the books for a moment: In a 2008 study, "Networking and Career Success," published in the Journal of Applied Psychology (American Psychological Association), authors Hans-Georg Wolff and Klaus Moser found that over the three-year period of 2000 – 2003, subjects who networked on the job report not only increased job satisfaction over their non-networking peers, they actually earned more. Not only did their salaries increase from one year to the next, their salaries increased at a faster rate, earning as much as 25 percent more than non-networkers in the final year of 2002 – 2003 than in the first year of the study.
"As the world gets more complicated," says Bill Byham, chairman and CEO of management-consulting firm Development Dimensions International, "more people have a role in one's success." When you get promoted to a new role, he explains, you cannot possibly know everything you need to know in order to do your job well. By building a network, you can make up for that knowledge deficit. "It's a third-millennium skill," he adds. Note to CIOs: "the things that have gotten you to the C-level [such as technical or functional skills] won't work anymore," as Byham puts it. Having the right people in your network can give CIOs a leg up on the competition. For instance, one contact may inform you of a new product that is set to launch, while another might give a heads-up on regulatory developments that could affect your operation.
So how does a newly-minted CIO begin to build and use his or her network? The first step is to identify who will be in your network. Who knows what's going on and how to get around obstacles? Who's an essential organizational link? You do not necessarily need a large network: "This is not about the number of people, but the quality of people in your network," notes Byham. "You want to cultivate those people who, when you reach out to them, will get back to you within 24 hours."
The next step seems obvious but it can be tricky: Meet the people you've identified. Some CIOs may feel perfectly comfortable cold-calling strangers. For those who don't, conventions and introductions by their boss can work. Asking them for help is an almost fool-proof yet comfortable way to introduce yourself.
Finally, maintain the relationship. Reciprocation is key: Perhaps someone in your network is hiring and you can send a prime candidate his way. If you really can't offer any help of your own, find ways to stay in touch. Send an occasional note with article about your contact's company; congratulate her on her favorite sports team's win. After all people who help you deserve a show of appreciation.
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