Candy or Coal?

Hanging a stocking over the fireplace is a long-standing Christmas tradition. Children who behaved nicely during the year are rewarded with candy but naughty children only get lumps of coal. Santa is the arbiter of who was naughty or nice.  Kids can’t see Santa but he can see them! They have to be on their best (but not perfect) behavior to score the candy.

Can we apply this same concept toward business networking? When you think that no one is watching your behavior, do you behave nicely toward others for the sake of just having being nice, or do you expect something in return? Is it a ‘tit for tat’ social arrangement where I do you a favor and you return it?  And if so, is that realistic?  As with much of business etiquette, there isn’t a definitive answer. It depends on the personal expectations of the people who are networking together. A lot of it boils down to common courtesy. One thing is certain – Santa isn’t watching your networking behavior but other people are. We can choose to be nice….or naughty.    Candy or coal?

As a recruiter, part of my success depends on knowing the right people.  I’ve logged countless hours in networking meetings.   One never know when a meeting might result in achieving a business goal, an opportunity to help someone achieve theirs, or just meeting an interesting person who you may never see or hear from again.  Your network is your net worth and it works best when you act like Santa IS watching.    

Here are six networking tips to help you earn more candy than coal in your ‘networking stocking’:

1. The ‘Reply’ button is an Outlook feature that is underused. When someone emails (or calls) to request a networking meeting, have the courtesy to respond.  Too many people are simply ignoring these requests. Politely decline if you are too busy or simply not interested.  A simple ‘Thanks but no thanks’ takes two seconds. This is doubly true if a third party has initiated the introduction and taken the time to make the referral.  Making time to meet is optimal, but not always realistic depending on your work schedule.

 2. Come prepared to your networking meeting with an agenda and a timeframe. Remember that it’s a conversation and not a monologue. When you are an active listener and are genuinely interested in the other person it sets the tone for a productive and pleasant meeting.

  3. Effective networking is achieved when you come with the spirit of ‘giving’ and not ‘taking’.  Ask the other person how you can help them – giving feels so much better than receiving. Eventually your networking partner will want to know how they can help you.  Be prepared to tell them.

 4. If you are in job search and you meet with an employed person, acknowledge that their time has value and that they are being generous in giving it to you.  Let the other person know when and where you land a job. If and when that person find themselves in job search and contacts you, return the favor and meet with them.

  5. Job seekers seek out meetings with professionals in industries such as finance, legal, venture capital, recruitment, benefits and insurance. They are well networked and can provide golden referrals and/or valuable job search advice. When you land a job, that same professional might contact you to (spoiler alert!) set up a business development meeting! Have the courtesy to return the call even if your current company doesn’t have a current need for their products or service. You never know when your company might be open to a new provider, and this is a nice way to ‘give back’ to the person who took the time to help you.

  6. Employed people need to network.  Job security these days is MIA. It’s best to develop and maintain your network when you don’t need it. If someone contacts you to request a meeting, go back and read tip #1.

  

On the whole, I’ve observed that business professionals in the Twin Cities are earning more candy than coal! Keep these tips in mind as you expand your net worth through your network in 2013. Happy Holidays!

Is your manufacturing company struggling to attract top senior leadership talent? Don’t have the time or internal resources to recruit? Call Hockenberg Search today at 952-500-9542 or email me at marni@hockenbergsearch.com. We will provide fast and reliable recruiting results for your company from our vast network of manufacturing leaders!