LITTLE BLACK BUDDHA

STRATEGIC NETWORKING

BY AHLIA TILLMAN KITWANA

M A K I N G CONNECTIONS TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS

with your approach to networking:

At Little Black Buddha, we help professional women change their careers, their livelihoods, even their entire approach to life. There are several guiding principles in our coaching approach, and one of them is not to do it alone. Leverage the power of your community and network to help you accomplish your goals and aspirations. In 2019, Jobvite’s Job Seeker Nation Survey reported that 50% of respondents learned about available jobs through friends and acquaintances. In the same survey, 37% of respondents learned about a new job through their professional networks. At LBB, we not only advise that you leverage your existing network, but we ask that you build on the network you already have.

Let’s explore how to leverage your networking approach. Even when you are not officially searching for a job, keeping your network close and helping others will always serve you well. Your network can consist of friends, family, neighbors, alumni, and any professional associations or groups you belong to. Any of these individuals can help you gain information and job leads that will land you the right role. If you are looking for a new position, plan on attending as many networking events as possible. And yes, you can

totally rock virtual networking events. You can take a direct approach and ask for job leads or try a less formal approach and ask for information and advice. 1. Start with the end in mind and get specific about the position. Set a goal for the position you are going after. What type of job do you want? What kind of company or organization do you want to work for? Are mission and values important to you, and what values are you looking for in an organization? What salary do you want? What kind of environment do you want to work in? Do you want the flexibility to work at home or do you prefer to be around your co-workers most of the day? Yes, this is a lot of work and consideration up front, but it will save you time in the long run. You will not waste your efforts and you will be in a much better position to articulate what you’re looking for.

2. Make a list of the types of people who can help you accomplish your goal. If you know people in your network who fit the type of person you need to connect with, make note of those people, categorize them, and think of a specific request for each person. You can either ask them directly for job leads or you can do informational interviews. Come up with a plan to reach out to these people over the next few weeks and months.

“Your network can consist of friends, family, neighbors, alumni, and any professional associations or groups you belong to”

3. For the types of people you don’t know directly, scan your network to see if any of your direct connections are connected to the desired type of person. Reach out to them and ask for a warm introduction. Be brief and specific about what you are looking for from the person you are trying to connect with.

4. For people you don’t have 1st or 2nd degree connections with, figure out where those people spend time online or in physical space. Start hanging out in those places to meet the types of people you want to get in touch with. Conferences, networking events, and workshops, in person or virtual, are fine opportunities to make these connections.

5. Plan your outreach and networking efforts. Make a goal to connect with this or that number of people each week. This will make it more about numbers and a little less intimidating than worrying about bothering people or speaking to someone high up on the decisionmaking chain. Keep that going until you reach that new level. 6. Even after you land your desired role, stay in touch with your network. Keep your relationships warm by reaching out periodically. Every 6 or 12 months is fine for professional connections. underestimated. Take time to build those meaningful connections and relationships. You never know when you will need to tap into your network, and you never know where or who that next great lead will come from. A lot of people are intimidated by networking, so break it down into bite-sized pieces and make it more about connecting than making small talk. Contact Little Black Buddha for all the details on not only making valuable connections but making them flourish.

7. Rinse and repeat. You can use this framework to help you achieve all of your professional goals.

The power of your network and community should not be