I am very happy for these folks and others who have successfully landed new jobs. But I also worry for them. Why? Because there is a high risk that they might go “MIA” from a networking point of view. They will become so consumed in their new work reality that they will abandon their networking friends and activity.

Why is this? Why is it so common that working professionals only tap into their network when they are looking for jobs? Why do you never hear from them again once they’ve landed new jobs? Why do they choose to disappear and abandon the networking relationships that they worked so hard to build?

Short term view of networking. I believe this is because they view networking as an activity, rather than a strategy for life. They “do” networking only because they have an immediate need. In essence, they take a transactional approach to networking (i.e., “can you help me find a job?”). They are thinking immediate need, short term thinking. They do not consider the long term value of networking – that is building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships before you need them.

We want to hear from you. The people in your network who you have worked so hard to build relationships with care about YOU. They want to continue to hear from you whether you have a job or you don’t have a job. You can continue to grow and maintain your mutually-beneficial relationship over the course of time, no matter what your current circumstance. That’s the best part of networking!

So how do you prevent the travesty of being classified as “missing in action” from your network? The answer is – You stay in touch (even after you’ve landed that new job and are consumed with learning the new ropes)

5 ways to remain relevant to your professional network after you’ve landed a new job

Here are five ways you can continue to network throughout your career and remain relevant, visible and valuable to the people in your professional network.

1. Announce your success and share your new contact details. You have good news to share with the people in your network. You also have many people to thank for helping you achieve this success, whether that was from leads and connections or the support they extended to you during your job search. Plan to send personal thank you cards, mail out your new business card and/or email them with your complete new contact details (including phone, email and mailing address). Update your Linkedin.com profile and leverage Linkedin’s functionality to broadcast your good news message to everyone in your contact list. Make this a priority before or shortly after you start your new job. It’s news that the people in your professional network will want to hear!
2. Make yourself easily “findable.” Whether you are changing companies or moving houses, you need to take take and communicate your new contact details. Otherwise you will become “lost” to people in your network. Don’t make them wonder where you are or work too hard to find out how they can contact you. Include your new contact details with every communication: email signatures, voice mail messages (don’t make they guess whose voice that is or where to call you back), business cards, social media, etc. Be sure to include a current photograph on your Linkedin.com profile so people can easily recognize you. Distribute your new business cards like “candy” – get your new contact details in the hands of everyone who is important to you.
3. Check in your social networking site of choice at least daily. Having a presence on one or more of the major social networking sites (Linkedin.com, Facebook or Twitter) is great but only if you actively use it regularly. You have to balance the need for time management and the value of staying in touch with your network. I recommend that you visit your major social networking site of choice at least once per day and that you provide an update at least once per week. This let’s people in your network know that you are alive and kicking.
4. Stay in regular touch with your 50 most important networking contacts. You may not be able to keep up the same level of networking with everyone you did before, but there some people that you’ll want to stay in more regular touch with. I call this group your Top 50 Contacts.  You will want to maintain a higher level of frequency of communication with them. Watch this video on the Angelo’s 50-5-10-2 strategy:
   
5. Pick up the phone and respond. The telephone remains a powerful networking tool. Unlike texting and emailing, the telephone allows you to bring more of you (i.e., your voice) to life in the communication. Even if you are just leaving voice mails, your networking outreach by telephone can help to maintain that connection and relationship. Remember to keep your messages short and enticing, especially if you want them to call you back. AND, remember to book-end your name and telephone number so it’s easy for them to identify you and to call you back. Here’s an example: “Hi Jan, this is Kathy McAfee (860) 408-0033. I just met with very interesting person who I believe can help you with your upcoming event. Call me back and I’ll tell you more. Again this is Kathy McAfee (860) 408-0033”
   

Summary. There are many more ways  in which you can reach out and stay in touch with the many people who have come into your professional network. The important thing is that you commit to doing it and you do it with consistency. You will need these people at some time in the future, or they might need you. Just because you have the good fortune of landing a new job doesn’t mean you have to walk away from all the equity you have built in people and relationships during your job search. Don’t abandon those who have helped you. Embrace the attitude and behaviors of a Motivated Networker and reap the many rewards of networking over the course of your work life, if not your entire life!

Leave a Comment. I value your opinion and would appreciate hearing what you’re experience has been. Please post your comment below.

In the past, R&R Women’s Alliance has brought in motivational speakers and  hosted golf-for-non-golfer events. This time the event was organized around a Speed Networking exercise. Each guest was given a card identifying four tables that they would visit. Each table had 8 women sitting around it and each woman had 2 minutes to introduce herself to the others. The bell would ring when your 2 minutes was up and the next woman would give her introduction. After all 8 women had made their introductions, the group would split up and rotate to a new assigned table.

The purpose of the speed networking exercise is to make multiple new connections in a short amount of time and to practice and get more comfortable giving your elevator pitch. If you haven’t experience speed networking yet, look for opportunities to do so.

In addition to meeting new motivated women business leaders, I learned a valuable lesson. Be careful not to use too many “I message” when you introduce yourself. You might even count how many times you use it in a 2-minute introduction. For example, how many times do you find yourself starting a sentence with…

• I am…
• I do….
• I choose to only work with…
• I am married to …
• I am certified….
• I am expert in…
• I drive…
• I work for…
• I..
• I…

Too much I!

Now the I-message is a powerful interpersonal communication tool. It allows you to take ownership of your feelings and experience and to express yourself without casting blaming or triggering other people. But when you use too much I-messaging in the context of networking, you project the image of being too self-absorbed and too focused on self. You lose out on the opportunity to recreate relevance and relateability with the people that you are networking with.

I drove home from the event reminding myself to keep my EYES on the road, and to keep my own I-messages in check. After all, the purpose of networking is relationship building, not the glorification of I.

photo credit: Leo Reynolds as featured on www.flickr.com

Some of the mistakes are pretty obvious, some are shocking (would anyone actually think about lighting up a cigarette in an interview???)  Other mistakes were more modern, like forgetting to remove your Bluetooth earpiece. No, this is not an acceptable piece of jewelry nor is it a modern accessory. You look pretty foolish when you wear it on an interview (or in the grocery store). It shouts “Look at me.  I’m important. I’m cool.”

My motivation of re-posting this insightful article is to ask you to read through this  list of the worst of the worst mistakes with an eye towards networking and relationship building. Some of these same mistakes occur when we network with other people.

These unconscious behaviors and negative actions can put a real damper on the conversation and can ruin any first impression that you hope to make. The results: it is unlikely that you will develop a long-term, mutually-beneficial relationship with the person you are networking with. More likely you will create the “yuck” response. That is the opposite of the law of attraction; it is the law of repulsion.

As your networking coach, let me point out a few of the bad habits and mistakes from Ms. Burns’ list that are also relevant to your success in networking and relationship building.

Don’t do these things while networking:

• #1 Arriving late. Strive to be a timely person when networking. This demonstrates your respect for the other person and shows that you are an organized, together person. If you are running late, make sure you communicate your situation. Take the person’s cell phone number with you and let them know if you are stuck in traffic, or are running behind. If you are on the receiving side of the late person, strive to be a forgiving person and don’t make a big deal about it. Hold your original time commitment and end the networking meeting or call as originally scheduled. This will be the natural consequence for the tardy person – less time with wonderful you!
• #7. Forgetting the name of the person that you are networking with. Try to use the person’s name at least three times in your conversation. This will help you remember the person’s name. It also serves to draw the other person in. It’s a basic technique for rapport building. There is no sweeter sound on earth than the sound of your own name.
• # 10  Wearing a Bluetooth earpiece and #49 leaving your cell phone on while networking. I suggest that you remove all gadgets and power down, so that your total attention is on the person you are networking with. This action will prevent you from being distracted and will send a powerful message of “I care about you” to the other person.
• #22 failing to listen carefully to what the other person is saying; #23 Talking more than half the time; #24 Interrupting the other person. All very bad behavior pretty much in any context, networking or otherwise. This very common mistake can be easily corrected. It’s called “stop talking and start listening.” How can you expect to learn something new if you are dominating the conversation? Find the mute button on your personal vocal dashboard and practice your skills of observation.
• #26 Yawning. This signals boredom and disinterest. If you haven’t slept well or missed your caffeine jolt this morning, let the person know your situation, so they don’t misinterpret your action and take it personally. Find ways to energize your body (I like to do a quick set of 10 push ups to get the blood pumping; although this can be a little awkward in a coffee shop)
• #35 Shaking hands too weakly, or too firmly. Handshakes help to set the first and last impression and can either bring you closer or send a quick warning sign. Practice your professional handshake. Make sure you connect “web to web” – no gaps or misses. Read the article Get a Grip on the value of a professional handshake.
• #36 Failing to make eye contact (or making continuous eye contact). Eye contact is part of your non-verbal communication. It sends powerful messages about your personal confidence, your interest in the other person, and also your attention span. Your goal is to put the other person at ease with you. Find the right level and style of eye contact to achieve this outcome.
• #40 Complaining about anything! No one likes to spend time with negative people, so don’t be one. Remember what your mother told you: “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” That is not to say we don’t want you to be honest, open, candid and real when you network, just make sure you balance the energy and conversation. Too much negative is just that. Negative.
• #47 Oversharing. Although I am a firm believer that you need to bring your whole human being and your authentic self to networking, you do want to be careful how and when you share what. Don’t create a burden for other people that you don’t know well by dumping your deepest darkest secrets on them in the first meeting. Save this for later. Much later. Or save it for someone more appropriate (i.e., your therapist, your priest, your diary.)
• #50 Failing to ask for help. I do not advocate asking for a job during an initial networking meetings. This can come off as a transaction. However, I do strongly advocate that you know and communicate with people specifically what you are looking for/needing and how they can help you. The more specific you can get about what/who you are looking to meet, the more likely you are to get it. Make it easy for people to help you by being very specific about what you need/want.

What other mistakes have you experienced during networking? (either on the receiving end, or the side of error)  Please share your mistakes, insights and advice here for others to benefit from.