Purpose Driven Networking

The opening sentence in Rick Warren's bestseller "Purpose Driven Life" sums up a common mistake most people make in their approach to networking: "It's not about you." A good example of this is reflected in the email below, received this week from a job seeker. (The text has been edited for confidentiality.)

Dear Recruiting Professional,

I contacted you several weeks ago regarding a Senior Real Estate Position. I am following up to see if any new positions have opened up. I have attached my CV and a PowerPoint Presentation as a support document. I have over 26 years of experience in Real Estate Development, Construction, Design, and Property Management. Please let me know if I can provide you with any additional information. I look forward to hearing from you. Respectfully, John Doe

Does this mean I can expect to receive a similar follow-up from John in another 2-3 weeks, and every 2-3 weeks thereafter? Clearly, John is anxious to find employment and simply trying to stay top of mind, but at some point reincarnations of this message become redundant and as much as I hate to say it, unwelcome.

A marketing expert once described most advertising as an uninvited, unwelcome intrusion into our lives, whether the media is TV, radio or web based. (Hence the creation of DVR’s, satellite radio and spam filters.) However, once in awhile an ad campaign comes along that entertains the recipient or provides some other value added component. Have you ever stopped a conversation to point out a funny or heartwarming TV ad or forwarded an online ad posted on YouTube?

Networking should follow a similar path. Rather than repeatedly calling your network or sending emails to see if anything new has come up, give the recipient something of value. Here's a value-added approach John could use to stay on my radar screen in a more welcoming manner:

Bill, I thought you might be able to use this information for new search opportunities. I ran across them while conducting my own job search in Dallas. None of them are a fit for me, but might be of interest to you or someone else:

- ABC Development is looking for a VP Sales.
- XYZ Communities is looking for an Entitlement expert.
- Acme Homes is looking for a Purchasing Manager.

I'm continuing to look for my next opportunity as CFO or Controller for a Dallas based company, so please keep me in mind if you hear of anything.

Respectfully, John Doe

In a similar fashion, John could group his address book by functionality: Sales & Marketing professionals, Accounting & Finance professionals, Production & Purchasing professionals and General Managers. If John runs across an insightful article or web posting that might be of interest to one of those groups, he sends it to them. Hint: utilizing RSS feeds from a handful of websites will provide a constant stream of forward-worthy articles. Or, John might share a "lesson learned" from his own career experiences.

Another option: target senior managers at companies you would like to work with and send them helpful suggestions or tips. Example: a retail site acquisition specialist mentioned he was trying to get connected with a major specialty retailer in the area. He made the off-handed comment that he could greatly improve their market position by improving their locations over where they are now. I suggested he demonstrate that by sending the CEO an analysis of their current locations and what he would do if placed in charge of their real estate department. Yes... he might be giving away his expertise but you can bet he'll get the CEO's attention. He'll have provided something of real value while also demonstrating his knowledge and capabilities. (Tip: to identify who' who in a company check out Jigsaw.com, an online directory of business professionals.)

Remember: the more your networking campaign is viewed as a gift rather than an intrusion, the more inviting (and effective) it becomes. Make it about the recipient first, you last.