If you ever had to find a new job, how many people in your current network can you turn to for assistance? If you answer not many, you may need to upgrade your professional network.
Maintaining your professional network should not be a chore, nor should it be something you turn to when you are in a crisis. Review the following questions and answer them for yourself.
1.How many former co-workers contact information do you have?
Focus on your peers and people in hire positions in the organization. Remember the more people you keep in touch with the better you will be. With the internet you can easily add and create a substantial network utilizing websites like LinkedIn.
2.Does your network list contain people you can use as a reference?
These people you need to trust and they need to recommend you. If you feel you do not have a firm five to seven people in your network who knows you and your accomplishments you will need to let people know.
3.How many of your contacts have you communicated with in the past six months?
You do not need to contact everyone in your network on a daily basis, but you can easily prepare a simple e-mail reaching out to say hi, hope all is well. This is important because if ever you will need to reach out to them for assistance in finding a new job it will not appear to be out of the ordinary.
4.Have you had lunch or met for drinks with a person in your network in the past month?
You should make an effort to reach out to a former colleague to meet for a impromptu meeting every couple of weeks.
5.Have you attended a professional activity?
Attending professional conferences, trainings are always a good idea to help build your network with new contacts. You should look for professional associations or look towards alumni associations from your colleges.
6.Have you added a new contact in the last month?
You need to not only maintain your current network, but always look to build it as well. Go through LinkedIn do some searches for old colleagues or try to meet new people. Be outgoing, and talk to others.
7.Are you networking outside your comfort zone?
Opportunities can arise from many areas. You need to be open and not only make contacts with former colleagues, but you should try to find people outside your industry, and at different stages within their career. This will open up many new doors that may never be available.
8. Do you respond to others?
If former colleagues reach out to you do you respond? If you do not respond to them people may steer away from you later. If they are reaching out to you for job assistance and if you are unable to offer any, you can be there for them. This will lead to them possibly helping you in the future.
