The Power of Networking

While, I interact with my young students of Hospitality, one thing is common to all.  Everyone wants to grow quickly in their professional careers.  With my 20 plus years of experience in nurturing young minds, I have witnessed that few of them have reached the top positions in the Industry and many are yet to establish and create an identity for themselves.  What is the difference?  Is it luck, or hard work or someone who has worked smartly to his way up. I believe it is all to do with knowing the right people, creating the right impressions at the right time. In simple words, its known as Networking. The best jobs in the world are not advertised.  They get filled up through good and powerful networks.

So what is this networking all about?

Networking is about connecting with people internally and externally to share information and build mutually beneficial relationship. Networking is all to build the right connections with people. No person in this world can be underestimated. All human beings are important and can be of great help and support. Never know when the tables turn. Networking is a two way relationship. Its a relationship of giving and receiving. The more one gives the more one receives. The most critical part of any networking is to build relationships. All relationships need to be nurtured as we nurture a small sapling. If we ignore this, the relationship fails .Many fail to understand this. They assume that once a contact or a connection is established, it stays for life time. Sorry! This does not happen in the real world.

How to network.

The best way to network is to audit one’s current contacts. Nurture these contacts. Leverage on social media and technology to connect and reconnect. Build new contacts. Its important to prepare on a 30 seconds introduction. A quick introduction that can make an impact. I once met a person in a flight while I was travelling from Delhi to Bangalore. As we were nearing Bangalore, I quickly introduced myself and we starting talking. As the flight landed, this gentle man handed over his visiting card. He happened to be a senior bureaucrat in the government and we are still connected till date.

Where can I meet the right people

Its is good to prepare well for a networking events. Most conferences, workshops, conventions, training progammes have networking lunches or dinners.Also,one meets many people in these events. It is good to go well prepared. Carry enough visiting cards if you have or one can make personal visiting cards. Another place to meet the right people could be social gatherings, industry and trade exhibitions & events, college alumni association events, neighbor hood associations, gyms and sports clubs, residential apartments including every day transport mode like the local trains and the metro trains in Mumbai.

Being connected

Once the network is established, its important to keep connected. Today, it is much easier as technology is a great enabler. Wish the person on his birthday. Send greetings on important festivals and occasions. Speak to the person at least once every quarter. Record this in your personal diary. This is the way to build and nurture relationships. Always remember it is out of sight, out of mind. Keep letting the world know that you exist and you can add value to the world.

No person wants to do business with strangers. People like to do business with known acquaintances and friends. Same principle is applied to jobs as well. If you are in touch, the other person will be comfortable to recommended or suggest your name for potential jobs, business or any assignments or offer a job in his or her organisation. It is important to be grateful and reciprocate when the times comes.

Most jobs are offered to known people. Almost all organizations do the reference check .It is important to be known as person of integrity and value driven. Remember, the world is small and it is a network of networks.

For professional advise connect with me @: gmbhuvan@gmail.com