Networking 101
Building a Support Group for Your Career
You know what they say: “It’s not what you know; it’s who you know.” While that’s not always true, building your professional connections can come in handy. Whether it gets you a job, helps you earn a promotion, or launches your new business, having a strong network of supporters can sometimes make or break a career. So how do you network effectively? Here are ten easy tips to building a substantial list of contacts.
1. Talk to everyone
Be willing to start a conversation with anyone. At first you may feel awkward. And you may encounter a few dead ends before you find a good contact, but you’ll improve with experience. Feel free to connect with acquaintances and complete strangers. That businesswoman sitting next to you on the plane may be a great addition to your contact list.
2. Hand out business cards
As you begin talking with more people you’ll find the business card is a great way to share contact information. Keep all your contacts’ business cards and place them to a file. In order to better remember your contacts later, it also helps to jot down a few notes about them on their cards (However, not in front of them. You don’t want them to think you view their business card as a piece of scrap paper.).
3. Join accounting and bookkeeping associations
While you can try to pick an accountant from a crowd, it’s not as effective as joining groups and associations that are specific to your field and where you can meet countless accounting peers.
4. Frequent conferences and workshops
This is another way to effectively connect with professionals you have a lot in common with. By attending accounting, bookkeeping, tax, and other conferences specializing in financial services, you’ll be able to meet many individuals who are your peers and superiors (note: it’s good to vary your contact list with a wide range of individuals who are on and above your current job level).
5. Have your elevator speech ready
Now that you’re talking to people, you should prepare an elevator speech so you always have something to say. An elevator speech is a quick infomercial about you that can be delivered in the time it takes an elevator to carry its occupants to their floor. An elevator speech is something you hone and practice so that at opportune moments you can network effectively, explaining what you do and why you do it so well that everyone deserves to hear about it. It shouldn’t be pushy or long. We recommend practicing a 30-second and a 60-second version, so you can pick the best match for any given situation.
6. Listen attentively
When you network, you talk a lot. But you’ll leave a bad impression if you do all the talking. Effective networkers also listen to contacts, learning more about them in order to strengthen the connection. Networking is a mutually beneficial activity. You need to look for ways you can benefit your contacts so that you can build a healthy give-and-take relationship.
7. Stay in touch
You should maintain contact with key individuals on your list. Send emails or call periodically.
8. Develop key relationships
Once you build a list of contacts, you’ll notice that some connections are more profitable, or more comfortable, or even more enjoyable, than others. You should start building stronger relationships with these people. Take a contact to lunch or go play golf.
9. Lend a hand
When a contact is in need, you should offer to help. “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.” That’s how networking works. And once you’ve extended yourself to help a contact, chances are they’ll be more willing to help when you need a hand.
10. Don’t obsess
And last but not least, don’t obsess about networking. If you worry about it too much, you’ll come across as pushy or, worst yet, needy. Take it slow. Be genuine as you make connections and enjoy it.
UAC’s Accounting and Tax Forums Can Help You Connect
What cannot be achieved in one lifetime will happen when one lifetime is joined to another. -Harold Kushner
It can be difficult to find a group of accountants and/or bookkeepers with whom you can ask questions, share insights, offer advice, and network. Universal Accounting Center has developed a forum for accountants and tax preparers to provide just that community environment you may have been searching for. Please join us and make our community stronger. And if you have any suggestions for our newsletters, please post them there.
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