Networking

You already have networks. Your family is a network. The people you work with make up a network. If you belong to a club, church or some other type of group or organization, those are all networks too. Simply put, a network is an extended group of people that have similar backgrounds, skills or interests who interact and remain in periodic contact for mutual assistance or support.

In order to establish a network, you need to commit time to it. Once established, your networks will need maintenance, but the time investment is minimal.

Still aren't sure about the value of networking?
Consider this, according to Careermag.com, 20-25 percent of available jobs are listed in newspapers, trade journals or employment offices. The remaining 75 percent of jobs today are a result of networking.

Whether it is your first time attending a group meeting or you notice a newcomer to the group, starting your network is easy. If you are unsure of how to begin, interview the person you are meeting for the first time. Everyone is comfortable talking about themselves. Ask questions that provide an opportunity to follow up and for the network to grow.

Building your network
Finding a job used to be most commonly done through reading the classified ads. It was based first on what you know, then whom you know. In today's economy, who you know can be just as important as what you know. Remember, over 75 percent of jobs are found through networking. Following are additional tips on how to network.

1. Make a list of people you already know
   It doesn't matter how you know them or how long you've known them. As long as you have something in common, they are a potential source for you. Most people find that as they grow personally and professionally, their numbers can range from the hundreds to the thousands.
2. Make a list of people you want to know
   Want to know the Senior Design Engineer at Harley Davidson, Delphi Automotive and John Deere? Put them on your list. Now look at your list of people you already know and the resources you have available to you (ie, eRecruiting), it may take some time and creativity, but eventually someone in your network will use their network to put you in touch.
3. Decide where you want to meet people you can network with
   If you are interested in the automotive side of mechanical engineering, are you more inclined to attend a Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) function or an International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) function? Odds are the SAE function. As the saying goes, "birds of a feather flock together." Even if you attend the function not knowing anyone, you can count on the other attendees having an interest in automotives - an instant connection and conversation starter.

Be prepared
When attending a function where you know you will be able to do some networking, be sure you are dressed for the part. As a potential employee, the person you speak with will have an impression of you before you even speak.

Be prepared to sell yourself as a future employee/point of reference
You are an expert on the topic of you and should be your own best salesperson. Remember though, you don't want to tell them everything during the first conversation. Allow the relationship to grow slowly and allow them to come to you for additional information.

Getting to know them

You've made your list and are preparing to conquer it when you realize you have to build a relationship where one doesn't exist. The following 10 questions allow you to get the conversation going in order to learn more about the other person without being too personal. You don't need to ask all of the questions, use questions appropriate for the situation.

1. How did you get started in your field?
   This is an opportunity for them to tell you their story.
2. What do you enjoy most about your profession?
   This question will elicit a positive response.
3. What separates your company from (name of a competitor)?
   Illustrates your knowledge of the industry and allows the person to show company pride.
4. What is the company's vision for the future?
   Allows you to determine if the company's vision and your future goals coincide.
5. What advice would you give someone just starting in this field?
   Here's a chance for them to be a mentor.
6. What one thing would you do with your business if you knew you couldn't fail?
   Gives you additional insight as to how the person thinks, what drives them.
7. What significant changes have you seen take place in your profession through the years?
8. What do you see as the coming trends in this field?
9. What was the strangest or funniest incident you've experienced in your business?
10. What ways have you found to be the most effective when promoting your ideas?
11. What was the most valuable thing you did in your undergraduate years to help you get where you are today?

Again, not all of these questions will be covered in an initial conversation. They are designed to give you introductory information about the person and make the conversation easy to continue.

When engaging in an initial conversation, the same questions could be asked of you. Be prepared with something to say immediately; ideally something that will lead him or her to engage you in further questions. Your statement should be about 30 seconds.

For example, if you are a mechanical engineer who does stress analysis test engineering on cars, you could say, "I make driving safer for travelers." It's a good idea to have more than one, one-liner.

Next you should be prepared to answer questions about how you do that. Again, brevity is key. The statement should be specific, but last approximately 60 seconds in length. This statement could be the one thing a person remembers about you.

Keep in mind the people you are networking with, network with others whom you don't know. When people you network with refer your name to others, always remember to thank them with a personal note.

Referrals can come from you as well. Those you network with may seek to tap into your other networks of people. Mutual sharing of information leads to a win-win relationship.

Remember networking can be done anytime and anywhere. It is important to note that networking can take time to meet your objectives - whether it's to find a job or to find additional information on a particular subject matter. Persistence, not pushiness is the key.

After the Initial Meeting

After initially meeting someone and obtaining his or her contact information, you should send a follow-up email or note to say how much you enjoyed meeting him or her and discussing a particular topic. Doing so has several purposes, it reminds them who you are, what you talked about and what your interests are. It also opens up an opportunity for him or her to continue the dialogue. If the person told you to contact them for a specific purpose, this is the time to remind him or her of that.

Additional Contacts of Information

You've told the person you've enjoyed meeting them, here are additional times to continue your dialogue:

• At the next function you attend together.
• Emailing them interesting, relevant articles.
• Contacting them as a qualified resource for a project you are working on.
• Contacting them about opportunities you are aware of and think they may be a good fit for.