Secrets to Successfully Networking Your Way to Your Next Job

The spirit of giving is the secret that transforms networking from a drag into a rewarding and powerful activity. If your job hunt is sputtering out, bring it back to life with a generosity campaign. Counterproductive? I think not.

Benefits of Focusing on Giving

Get better results. You’ll score more successes when you look for ways to assist others. Relatively few people will have leads if you ask them about immediate job openings that are appropriate for you. However, we can all help each other out in some way.

Feel more comfortable. Many people shrink away from any mention of unemployment because it’s a troubling issue, and often people think there is something wrong with you if you don't have a job, or if you ask them if they know of any openings. You’ll get a warmer reception if you start out by doing them a favor by making everyone feel comfortable with the topic. It's also an opportunity for you to showcase your work ethic so they can see how well you work and feel confident in recommending you.

Expand your prospects. Maybe you quickly exhausted the list of people you know in your field who could hire you. However, you’ll never run out of people who could use your helping hand. Increase your opportunities to practice. Get out more often. Every interaction trains you to become better at networking. Don't be afraid to chat it up with the woman in line at the grocery store or the clerk at the gym. You’ll be ready to follow up when an old coworker introduces you to a company vice president you’ve been trying to meet.

Deepen your sense of validation. Being out of work can cause you to question your abilities and wreaks havoc on your confidence . Every time you give back or selflessly help someone in need, you reassure yourself of your value. Renew your motivation. Daytime soap operas and talk shows are a nice distraction when rejection emails keep coming in, but they won't pay the bills. Thinking of others and putting their needs before your own, such as the needs of your family, encourages you to keep your job search active.

How to Use Giving When You’re Networking Your Way to Your Next Job

Provide publicity. Everyone loves free publicity, and the Internet makes it easy. Feature other people in your blog. Retweet their articles. Showcase them on your other social media accounts such as LinkedIn. In fact, while you're on LinkedIn, pick a few connections to give recommendations to. They'll appreciate it, and although it's best to not expect anything in return, they may take it upon themselves to provide a recommendation for you as well.

Attend events. Live events create a lot of pressure to make a good impression. People will appreciate your boosting their turnout numbers and participating in discussions. As often as possible, comment during online events to boost the algorithm and help spread their message.

Volunteer your services. Be creative. Offer to drive a neighbor to a doctor’s appointment. Hand out flyers for a local school board candidate. Staying active and productive will help offset depression.

Support the same charities. In addition to helping others directly, consider the causes they support. If you both love animals, wash dogs together at the next fundraiser for your neighborhood animal shelter. Offer feedback. When someone forwards you an article for your opinion , read it carefully. Send them an email with thoughtful comments and additional information, such as suggestions for grammar and punctuation if you see anything out of sorts. Praise their accomplishments. Sincere praise works wonders. Congratulate an old friend on a promotion or the launch of her business. Let a local artist know how much you love the mural you see on your way to work. Give away a free sample. If you have a product such as an ebook to promote, let people sample it first. Use your website to give it away, or announce a pop up location and date so you can meet people in person. This is guaranteed to increase future sales and get your name out there.

Be giving. Depending on the relationship you’ve developed, tangible gifts may be a logical next step. Send a plant or a box of tea to a colleague you want to reconnect with. Extend an invitation. Reach out when you hear about an event that may interest someone you want to get to know better. Forward an announcement of an upcoming lecture or let them know you have an extra ticket. Accept favors in return. Giving and receiving go hand in hand. Be gracious when someone reciprocates so they can experience the pleasure of giving too. I once heard that accepting gifts blesses you, and also allows the giver to be a blessing, so make sure to accept gifts and help when given.

Even if you dread networking, you’ll look forward to it when you see how well giving works. And because most jobs are filled through personal contacts, it pays to focus your efforts where you’ll get the biggest return.

About the author:

Morganne Gervais created CareerspressoⓇ to help people re-enter the workforce after an extended break in employment by teaching them how to create an achievement-based resume, negotiate salary, and ace their interview using 3 unique principles she developed.

She is an expert on the topic of Advancing Women to Leadership, and a highly sought-after speaker and consultant specializing on the topics of job searching, career advancement, business building, and developing a winning mindset to succeed in today’s job market. She launched her coaching career by conducting an online webinar for The Magic Johnson Foundation; Taylor Michael's Scholarship Program.

Morganne has over 20 years of experience in Training, Recruiting, and Human Resources. The knowledge she has acquired through work, and personal work experiences early in her career are invaluable to both new and seasoned professionals. Ms. Gervais’ business acumen and expertise enabled her to successfully place 98% of her candidates with corporate clients during the last two recessions.

Ms. Gervais holds a Bachelor of Arts from San Jose State University and a Master of Arts in Psychology and Organizational Leadership from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

You can learn more about maximizing your job search, advancing your career or starting a business by visiting her YouTube channel.