BUILDING YOUR NETWORK
The best way to make meaningful connections outside your own organization is to put yourself in places where you're likely to run into the kinds of people you want to meet. Sign up for courses or seminars. Go to conferences. Join professional organizations, attend their meetings, and run for office.
Some otherwise savvy businesspeople take advantage of such opportunities only if their employers are footing the bill. That's fine if your department has deep pockets and a hefty professional-development budget for its own staff. But in today's business world, professional development tends to be the joint responsibility of you and your employer. If the boss says there's no money to send you to a dynamite conference, suggest a compromise: You pay all or part of your travel expenses and registration fees, and the boss provides paid time off for you to attend. Most employers will be impressed that you're willing to go the extra mile.
Once you're there, talk to people. Ask questions about what they do and describe your own areas of interest. When someone gives you a business card, jot down a few words on the back to remind yourself of who this person is and, perhaps, what information you promised to send. Remember that networking goes both ways. Think about how you can help-not just about what's in it for you. Then follow up with a phone call or package of information. That follow-up is vital. If you have nothing specific to send-such as an article that you think will be of interest-then just find reasons to keep in touch. A holiday greeting card or a note of congratulations on a new job can keep your name fresh in someone's mind. Many close friendships began as networking relationships between colleagues.
Networking can happen inside your company as well as outside it. If there's a department or field office you might be interested in working with (or for) at some time in the future, drop by or put in a phone call now. Take somebody to lunch and ask questions. Most people will be flattered by your interest.
Networking doesn't have to be face-to-face. Say you're looking for information on how to set up a distance-education course. However, you're on a tight deadline and the next big conference on that issue is six months away. By all means sign up for the conference, but in the meantime you have other options for making contacts. Remember that training organization you joined? Now is when you learn what the membership directory is for. Find other members who have listed themselves as distance-learning professionals and pick up the phone. Identifying yourself as a member of the same professional society-even one with thousands of members-is generally enough of a connection so that people will be happy to answer your questions or recommend suppliers.
New technology provides more state-of-the-art ways of making contacts and keeping in touch. The American Society for Training and Development has an online service that allows subscribers to keep in touch with each other through electronic mail, "real-time" electronic discussions, and forums on various training-related topics. It also provides bibliographic references and full text on a variety of training-related articles, as well as Internet access. Another high-tech option is a training and development listserv operated through Pennsylvania State University. A listserv is kind of a virtual, never-ending discussion group. Joining is simple and free. Once you're on the distribution list, you can post messages for all the other members to see, and you'll receive the messages they post, as well. For instance, you post a message to the listserv, saying, "I'm putting together a distance-learning program. Does anyone know where I can get access to a satellite dish in these specific regions around the country?" If your topic sparks people's interest, you could have more responses in a few days than you have time to read.
WHY YOU SHOULD JUST DO IT
We've seen that networking is easy, educational, flexible, and helpful. It can even be fun and lead to long-term friendships. Why, then, are so few people doing any meaningful, purposeful net-working on a regular basis? The reasons they give tend to fall into several categories:
- "I don't have time to network."
- "I tried networking once. It didn't do any good."
- "I don't need to network. I already have a job."
- "I'm not in a position to network. I don't even have a job!"
The second reason listed above shows a focus on short-term results and unreasonable expectations. Networking is long term. Don't think that you'll meet a colleague at a seminar today and receive a job offer from that person tomorrow. It happens, but not often. A more likely scenario is that the person you meet at a seminar today is the one who puts you in touch with someone who hires you six years from now. But that will only happen if you attend that seminar and if you follow up with the contacts you make there.
What if it's too late for that? You've already lost your job, or you're trying to break into the field and haven't found that first job. Sometimes a newcomer to a field will say, "I couldn't possibly go to that society's program! Everyone there will be an expert in the field. I'm just a beginner. They'll think I have no business being there." In most fields that fear is unfounded. The kind of people who get involved in their professional organizations tend to be the kind of people who want to help their profession. And part of the profession is helping newcomers to it. In training and development that's doubly true. People in training and development tend to believe in, well, professional development. It's an occupational hazard. Don't expect a real career-counseling session for free. However, most people are happy to answer a few questions or give you the name of someone else who can help.
WHERE TO NETWORK
Training and development professionals belong to a wide variety of professional organizations. Such groups offer publications, networking opportunities, information on the field, professional support, conferences, and seminars. Some services are only for members. Others are available to anyone.
Some groups, such as the American Society for Training and Development, are comprehensive in scope. Others cover particular industries (such as the American Society for Healthcare Education and Training) or certain kinds of learning vehicles (such as the United States Distance Learning Association).
