Networking is a key skill in today’s work environment.
I have never had a job without networking first. My experience has been great, and I really enjoy networking. Networking has benefited me in many ways and helped me get to where I am today. I still do it now, obviously not as much as I am where I want to be. But when it comes time for me to move on from my current venture, I will have no doubt made some noise about where I want to work, who for, why and what I can do for that organisation/employer. You have to get noticed. It’s like when you see some dumb product on Instagram, you have noticed it, and when you next need that item or someone mentions a similar product it immediately pops into your head. This is exactly what the purpose of networking is for. When that person needs something you immediately appear in their head. It’s like magic. But if you say hello once and disappear you may not be their first choice. It may be someone else who has kept in contact, provided a service or is regularly active in their space. Below I have provided what I think is a great way to explain the pathway and outcomes of networking. I have also provided a few examples.
N – Name. At the start this is all you have. As I graduated with a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Honours) I sat in a room with 20+ people all with the same credentials and 40 others. I was told networking is a great way for you to get a job. Although, I was graduating in a week’s time and had done minimal networking in the last 12 months as I completed a thesis and was in 4 different placement locations. I had met some people on placement and during my honours but didn’t network to the extent provided here. So, what did I do? The new CEO of our governing body with over 7000 members came to speak to us. After his presentation, there were a few questions. Before he headed to the M1 for his next speech at another University 50km away, talking to another bunch of soon to be dietitians I walked to the front of the room and introduced myself, shaking his hand, because that’s all I had. Rob gave me his business card and we now know each other on a name by name basis the last 3 times I have seen him. Rob was also going to be a guest on my podcast, but things got out of hand over the recent summer with the bush fires and we missed each other. I then progressed to add any dietitian I was interested in via LinkedIn; cold calling is old school, but it works. I simply provided a simple message asking to connect and why. This led me to speaking on the phone with Australia’s top dietitians including Chloe McLeod, Simone Austin and Joel Feren. All they knew about me was my name, but what I could provide in return was time and effort. I wrote blogs and developed recipes for free and now I don’t doubt I could call on them for advice. All you really have is your name, so use it to your advantage.
E – Engage. You have to be engaged. If you are trying to network with someone who you are not interested in helping or learning from you will appear very disengaged. They will pick up on your disinterest and goal of getting something without providing anything in return. It is quite obvious at a conference if someone is not enjoying a conversation. You should only engage with those you want to learn from and those who you think you would work well with. Simone and Chloe are both Sports dietitians (my main area of interest), Joel is a one-man business involved in the media and Robert Hunt is in a prestigious leadership position. These are all areas I am invested in and strive to learn about. I haven’t chosen to network with a fertility Dietitian or women’s health expert because I am not interested in these areas. Networking is a skill, but it should also be treated as a goal. ‘I aim to build my network to help me do xyz’. The time that it takes you to learn something can be halved by asking the best in the business. Seek the best and you shall receive the best. But you must remember to be engaged, if you are not interested, enthusiastic and genuine you will not succeed in your networking goal. Find someone else.
T – Task. The person you choose may offer you a task or you may ask them of a task. If you want this to be a relationship you can count on in your future network, it’s time to go over and above. Whether it by writing a blog, recipe or flying to Melbourne to take over a client, I was signed up for it all. Say the word and your task will be completed. Remember to not over commit however, in terms of time management. I was asked to write some blogs for Chloe and I thought I had the ability to produce more than I could. This was hard, as a new graduate I did not have all the knowledge of FODMAPs in the diet and had to learn on the fly. Unfortunately, I don’t think I produced the quantity of blogs I could have. I was honest with Chloe and our working relationship has periodically ended. Later I wrote some information on hydration for Simone and overproduced her original expectations. This was received well and taught me the above lesson of time management but also the new concept of over producing right at the start. Something Tara Diversi talks about. If you provide the best information sheet someone has ever seen (not this case) for absolutely nothing, imagine what that person thinks you can produce when you're paid. The lesson at this step is to absolutely deliver 110% on the task provided to increase your profile in that person’s view. You will no doubt learn some new knowledge by completing this task and also learn about yourself as a bonus. I learnt about some new hydration products on the market and I learnt that I shouldn’t overcommit to other people’s timelines.
W – Work. During this time, you are most likely working. Networking is no doubt about trying to swivel your way into someone’s thoughts/workplace, but it doesn’t happen straight away. I am now going to move to another example. How I got into my current position as a PhD candidate. I was just about to start a new job at Griffith University in tech services (yes, not dietetics). Thankfully I had signed up to a conference for QLD Health Foodservices, an area I am interested and engaged in as a Dietitian. I came to the workshop with the thought of exploring food waste and sustainability in hospital food services. This was one of the presentations at the conference. Dr Jorja Collins was presenting on this issue and a case study she had completed recently in Melbourne. What did I do? I started at step 1, all I had was my name. I did the exact thing I did with Robert, introduced myself and had a conversation about the work presented. I asked questions and was engaged. We exchanged details and after the conference both returned to work. Don’t let work get in the way of your aspirations. I emailed Jorja the next day to make sure I was still in her thoughts, if not her inbox.
O – Opportunity. There will always be an opportunity to call upon your network or for them to call upon you. Jorja mentioned during our conversation there may be a PhD that I might be interested in coming out soon. I was having coffee with some University graduates of mine and they had mentioned that Jorja had received a Churchill Fellowship to travel to the USA and investigate sustainability in hospital food services. Exactly what I was interested in. That night I did some researching to better understand her position and what was involved. I emailed Jorja wishing her the best on her travels in America and I tagged her in a post on LinkedIn. This clearly showed my engagement in the area. My name was obviously attached to the email and LinkedIn post as well. Although the trip wasn’t scheduled for a while. However, when the PhD Jorja had mentioned was up for grabs Jorja emailed me the link to the advertisement, asking me to apply if I was interested. This was the first opportunity attached to this networking relationship.
R – Responsibility. Your network trusts you and you have a responsibility to live up to your word. Whether your network has offered you a task to complete or an opportunity to show your worth, it’s time to shine. This is where you can show that your name is worth keeping in their network. I happily applied for the PhD and thankfully was successful. P.S in my attempt to grow my network earlier in the year I had already been in contact with my co-supervisor which I no doubt think helped me in the process, as Judi remembered who I was. “He is Keen”. I now have the current responsibility of completing this PhD to the best of my ability and demonstrating to Jorja and my supervisors that they made the right choice.
K – Key. You now have the key to their network. Jorja, Simone, Judi, Rob, Joel, Chloe all have their own networks. As I am now a colleague of Jorja and Judi I am a part of their network and they are a part of mine. We have grown our net, or web if you like. This net helps us to do better work. Hence networking. This key comes in handy in a majority of ways. The possibilities are unknown. For example, I had the idea of building an app, Judi knows someone in New Zealand who looks at health literacy and education through apps. I am in the process of starting a waste collection company, Jorja knows a person on the Gold Coast who runs a similar business. The key has multiple locks to open, don’t lose it.
There you have it. My framework for networking. Name, Engage, Task, Work, Opportunity, Responsibility, Key. Something that has worked for me and can hopefully work for you. Although it is very contextual, I guarantee this approach can help you get to where you want to be.
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