by Vanessa Wang
We've all heard it before: if you're looking for a job, network, network, network.
Networking for me has always been a hard concept, and not because I'm an introvert, which I am, but even introverts look forward to meeting new people every once in a while. The problem for me is that "networking" is such a vague word. What exactly does it mean? Do I just walk up to people and introduce myself as a job-seeker? Does networking mean attending in-person events like "Women in Silicon Valley Happy Hour"? And if so, how often do I have to attend these things?
If you ask 10 people what networking means, chances are you'll get 10 different answers. So I'm going to give you my take on how to network, based on my experience of networking as a career changer seeking a software engineer job.
1. Set realistic expectations about networking results.
Let's say you call in a baby-sitter on Friday night, so you can drive to a restaurant half an hour away to attend a Women in Tech happy hour. You order a drink, meet new people, talk for two-and-a-half hours before driving home to pay your babysitter for four hours of her time. You're exhausted and a little bit poorer after doing all this, but surely it'll pay off because after adding all your new friends on LinkedIn, one of them is going to give you a job, right?
Well, if you've ever networked, you know this likely won't happen. I'm not saying that it can't, but usually it doesn't happen that way, at least not right away. It's more likely that from the people that you met, one of them promises to introduce you to someone else, who might have a lead to a position, and might give you an opportunity to interview with the company. That's a lot of mights for a lot of effort on your end if you expected to land a job after this one night out.
So tweak your expectations. Instead of expecting a job out of your night out, think of it as an excuse to get out and meet new friends. When was the last time you went out for drinks on a Friday night, anyway? While it's the luck of the draw whether you'll find a fairy god mother who'll offer you a job on the spot, it's almost guaranteed that you'll find camaraderie and maybe even a job-seeking buddy (or in my case, a study partner to practice coding with) if you engage yourself and extend a friendly hand. Job-seeking is a lonely path, so never underestimate the importance of finding people to share your journey with.
It's also possible that while you may not find exactly what you were expecting, you'll find other leads. For example, going to Developer's Week in Oakland was completely underwhelming, and I left feeling like I had wasted my evening. But I did learn about the job searching website Vettery that has employers reaching out to you instead of you applying to roles, and this app has actually found me seven interview opportunities so far, including one that led up to a job offer.
2. Focus on Giving more than Asking
I'm a writer, and I attend a lot of events where agents and publishers talk about how authors sell their books. The secret, I've learned--and I've heard this over and over again from many, many professionals in the field--is to "engage" in a community. That community can be Twitter, a graduate program, a writing conference, book-signing events... it can be anything, but the key is that you're actively engaging, which means that you're there asking questions, listening, buying books...you're as much in the community as a participant and supporter as a self-advocate. Suffice it to say that you're not going to sell any books by beating people over the head with your book synopsis.
Networking is built upon relationships, and relationships are built with time and trust. Treat others as you would like to be treated, and don't discount the benefits of giving. To quote from Angela Duckworth's Grit, "when encouraging another person in need, we direct attention to what can be changed about a situation. As some coaches like to say, when advising others, we focus less on the many things we can't fix on our own and instead concentrate on 'controlling the controllables.'"
3. Online Networking Counts
This is one of the greatest lessons I've learned. As a mom of a one-year-old, going to in-person events is very costly for me. But I realized that online communities, such as private Facebook groups for women developers, mom coders, women in Silicon Valley and such, are very active, and people on these platforms can be equally warm and helpful. I've met so many people through these online groups, and I can tell you right now that I have found leads that directly landed me jobs this way.
4. Don't stop networking, even after you've landed a job
This is perhaps the most important point, one that I'll keep reminding myself. I can't remember where I read this, but it goes something like this: "the higher you are on the corporate ladder, the more likely you'll find your next-level position through networking." Which is to say that networking only becomes more important as we go through life. So it's good to start right now, because at the end of the day, I believe that networking is built upon genuine relationships, time, and trust, so the longer you keep at it, the more likely you'll feel the benefits.
But more importantly, don't stop networking even after you've landed a job, because now you're in a position to give back and help others with your experience and wisdom.
We've all heard it before: if you're looking for a job, network, network, network.
Networking for me has always been a hard concept, and not because I'm an introvert, which I am, but even introverts look forward to meeting new people every once in a while. The problem for me is that "networking" is such a vague word. What exactly does it mean? Do I just walk up to people and introduce myself as a job-seeker? Does networking mean attending in-person events like "Women in Silicon Valley Happy Hour"? And if so, how often do I have to attend these things?
If you ask 10 people what networking means, chances are you'll get 10 different answers. So I'm going to give you my take on how to network, based on my experience of networking as a career changer seeking a software engineer job.
1. Set realistic expectations about networking results.
Let's say you call in a baby-sitter on Friday night, so you can drive to a restaurant half an hour away to attend a Women in Tech happy hour. You order a drink, meet new people, talk for two-and-a-half hours before driving home to pay your babysitter for four hours of her time. You're exhausted and a little bit poorer after doing all this, but surely it'll pay off because after adding all your new friends on LinkedIn, one of them is going to give you a job, right?
Well, if you've ever networked, you know this likely won't happen. I'm not saying that it can't, but usually it doesn't happen that way, at least not right away. It's more likely that from the people that you met, one of them promises to introduce you to someone else, who might have a lead to a position, and might give you an opportunity to interview with the company. That's a lot of mights for a lot of effort on your end if you expected to land a job after this one night out.
So tweak your expectations. Instead of expecting a job out of your night out, think of it as an excuse to get out and meet new friends. When was the last time you went out for drinks on a Friday night, anyway? While it's the luck of the draw whether you'll find a fairy god mother who'll offer you a job on the spot, it's almost guaranteed that you'll find camaraderie and maybe even a job-seeking buddy (or in my case, a study partner to practice coding with) if you engage yourself and extend a friendly hand. Job-seeking is a lonely path, so never underestimate the importance of finding people to share your journey with.
It's also possible that while you may not find exactly what you were expecting, you'll find other leads. For example, going to Developer's Week in Oakland was completely underwhelming, and I left feeling like I had wasted my evening. But I did learn about the job searching website Vettery that has employers reaching out to you instead of you applying to roles, and this app has actually found me seven interview opportunities so far, including one that led up to a job offer.
2. Focus on Giving more than Asking
I'm a writer, and I attend a lot of events where agents and publishers talk about how authors sell their books. The secret, I've learned--and I've heard this over and over again from many, many professionals in the field--is to "engage" in a community. That community can be Twitter, a graduate program, a writing conference, book-signing events... it can be anything, but the key is that you're actively engaging, which means that you're there asking questions, listening, buying books...you're as much in the community as a participant and supporter as a self-advocate. Suffice it to say that you're not going to sell any books by beating people over the head with your book synopsis.
Networking is built upon relationships, and relationships are built with time and trust. Treat others as you would like to be treated, and don't discount the benefits of giving. To quote from Angela Duckworth's Grit, "when encouraging another person in need, we direct attention to what can be changed about a situation. As some coaches like to say, when advising others, we focus less on the many things we can't fix on our own and instead concentrate on 'controlling the controllables.'"
3. Online Networking Counts
This is one of the greatest lessons I've learned. As a mom of a one-year-old, going to in-person events is very costly for me. But I realized that online communities, such as private Facebook groups for women developers, mom coders, women in Silicon Valley and such, are very active, and people on these platforms can be equally warm and helpful. I've met so many people through these online groups, and I can tell you right now that I have found leads that directly landed me jobs this way.
4. Don't stop networking, even after you've landed a job
This is perhaps the most important point, one that I'll keep reminding myself. I can't remember where I read this, but it goes something like this: "the higher you are on the corporate ladder, the more likely you'll find your next-level position through networking." Which is to say that networking only becomes more important as we go through life. So it's good to start right now, because at the end of the day, I believe that networking is built upon genuine relationships, time, and trust, so the longer you keep at it, the more likely you'll feel the benefits.
But more importantly, don't stop networking even after you've landed a job, because now you're in a position to give back and help others with your experience and wisdom.
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