Networking has been hailed as a golden gateway to professional success, opening doors to exciting career prospects, collaboration opportunities, and meaningful connections. But let's face it — sometimes, despite our best efforts, we find ourselves wondering why our style of networking falls flat, and what we’re doing wrong.
How about transforming missed opportunities into thriving connections for your healthy career ecosystem? Below we look at common pitfalls and practical strategies to overcome them.
You’re going too hard too early with an agenda
You walk into a networking event armed with your business cards and a laser-focused agenda. You're on a mission to conquer the room and reap all the benefits for yourself. Pause. Does this feel like someone you would want to network with? When networking, it's crucial to be genuine, show a sincere interest in others, and build relationships based on trust, generosity and respect. With this intention, watch the connections you make flourish organically, and the rewards will follow suit.
You’re not navigating in the right networking circles
Don’t just network with everyone and anyone. If you find yourself trapped in networking circles that don't align with your goals or interests, it's time to plot a new course. Seek out communities, events, and platforms where like-minded professionals gather both online and offline. Seek out people who share your values and aspirations, or people who have wisdom and experience in areas you’re interested in. By strategically selecting the right networking opportunities, you'll find meaningful connections and opportunities that align with your vision.
You’re not continuing to build and nurture the relationship
Networking isn't a one-and-done deal. It's an ongoing journey of building and nurturing relationships. It's not just about exchanging business cards and hoping for the best—it's about investing time and effort into maintaining connections. When preparing to network either online or in person, do your research ahead of time on the person you’re reaching out to, ask interesting and informed questions, always follow up with the people you meet, engage in conversations that matter, and be a source of support whenever possible. By tending to these relationships, you'll witness the transformation of flat networking experiences into flourishing connections that fuel your professional growth.
Your fear is getting in the way of real connections
Ah, the fear of rejection — these fears can send our networking efforts crashing. To conquer these barriers, you must shift your mindset. Networking is an opportunity for growth, collaboration, and sharing expertise. Embrace the value you bring to the table and approach networking with a genuine desire to connect and help others. When you let go of fear and embrace the true essence of networking, remarkable things can happen.
Despite our best intentions, networking may not always go according to plan, but don't let that discourage you. Armed with these insights, you can approach networking with authenticity, great intentions, relationship skills, and courage. Connect with impactful people on your wavelength who have ideas, experiences, opportunities and words of wisdom to share with you.
Without self-knowledge, what precepts are you building your career on?
When embarking on career change, two significant hurdles stand in our path: uncertainty and fear. These invisible barriers appear elsewhere in our lives, but they are given when seeking a career change. When I was personally exploring a change in career 10+ years ago, it turned my world upside down and I found it incredibly uncomfortable. Transitioning from one career path to another presents risk, self-doubt, and a fear of the unknown. Speaking to your inner circle about it can sometimes give you comfort, perhaps that they've experienced a similar thing. On the other hand, it can also bring up more questions and stir up even more tension. Let’s explore the complexities and difficulties associated with making a career change.
The role of fear: fear is a natural and primal emotion that has evolved to protect us from potential harm. However, in the context of a career change, fear often takes on a different form. Fear of failure, financial instability, social judgment, and the loss of identity can create significant barriers to pursuing a new career path.
The fear of stepping into the unknown can paralyse individuals, trapping them in unfulfilling careers despite their desire for change. Breaking free from this fear requires courage, self-belief, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty.
Why Career Change is Difficult:
Identity Crisis: Our careers often become deeply intertwined with our identities. Shifting gears and embarking on a new professional journey can challenge our sense of self, leaving us grappling with questions about who we are and what we truly want.
Financial Considerations: Career changes often come with financial implications. The prospect of starting from scratch or taking a pay cut can be daunting, especially when we have financial responsibilities and obligations.
Lack of Experience: Transitioning to a new field often means entering unfamiliar territory. The lack of relevant experience can make it challenging to convince potential employers of our capabilities, leading to feelings of self-doubt and imposter syndrome.
Social Pressure: Society often places great emphasis on career success and stability. The fear of judgment or disapproval from family, friends, or colleagues can add an extra layer of difficulty to the already challenging process of making a career change.
Overcoming the challenges: while navigating the complexities of fear and career change is undeniably difficult, it is not insurmountable.
Here are a few strategies that might help you:
Self-Reflection: Take the time to explore your values, interests, and personal pursuits. Understanding your true desires will give you clarity and help you make informed decisions about your career path.
Planning and Research: Thoroughly investigate your desired field, network with professionals, and acquire the necessary skills or qualifications. A well-thought-out plan will instill confidence and mitigate some of the fear associated with the unknown.
Seek Support: Surround yourself with a supportive network of friends, mentors, or career coaches who can provide guidance, encouragement, and a fresh perspective. Sharing your fears and concerns with others can lighten the burden and offer valuable insights.
Embrace Growth Mindset: Adopt a growth mindset, recognising that failures and setbacks are stepping stones to success. Embracing a mindset focused on learning and improvement will help you navigate challenges and stay resilient.
The crux of it: Making a career change is seriously courageous. I’m right behind all of you considering this big adventure. Shout out if you need a hand.
Gallup research tells us that people who use their strengths and talents (something that comes naturally and can be enhanced through practice) every day are SIX TIMES more likely to be engaged on the job. Not using your strengths may be causing your mojo at work to shrivel up like a sad forgotten raisin hiding behind the couch. Start to understand your strengths and how to use them to stay alive and well at work.
Image credit: Leslie Bosley Uhlenhake
How would you feel if you were fired today? In tears and destroyed OR relieved and excited?
Here are my top 12 most common failures that I've seen in my years of networking and hosting networking events. You're probably doing at least one of these!
What's your name again? Learn how to be unforgettable.
"Welcome to Dumpsville. Population you."
Those are words aren't going to come from your boss. She thinks you're an angel. You're well liked at work. You belong to one of the friendliest teams in the world and you’re on first name basis with the cafe barista next door to the office. Life is easy. You live a convenient 15 minutes walk from work and while weekdays are slow, Friday nights are a blast. Despite these small victories, you can feel it. Something is out of sync. Is it time to change jobs?
Here are 7 ways to tell:
1. You daydream about ways to get out of work.
“Dear boss, I sprained my ankle, my dog is sick and my car has broken down.” It’s Sunday afternoon and you’re wishing Monday’s didn’t exist. You draft excuses in your head and contemplate which one is the most believable. By Monday morning, guilt stops you from dialling into your manager with white lies, and you drag yourself to work.
2. You’ve stopped learning new things.
When you first started out in this role it was exciting. The first couple of years you were like Daniel- san from the karate kid, you waxed on, you waxed off, and you gained great lessons and skills. Now your learning curve has flatlined. Mr Miyagi’s no where to be seen and your opponent feels like a fat kid with no upper body strength.
3. You don’t want to learn the things that are now part of your job.
In this scenario, you are being challenged, but in all the wrong ways. The problem isn’t the learning curve, but the experience and skills you’re adding to your toolbox don’t seem relevant to what you want to be doing in the future. You ask for opportunities that are more aligned to your interests and are told that’s not part of your role.
4. You don’t respect the leadership in your team.
In meetings, you cringe when you hear your bosses talk about “giving 110%” and thinking “outside the box” when they do nothing of the sort. They’re not as bad as the boss from The Office, but they don’t inspire you to strive for greatness either. A research poll published by Gallup in 2011 showed that 80% of people leave their jobs because they can’t manage the relationship with their boss and not the demands of their job. If you don’t respect the leadership in your team, your motivation is going to take a dive.
5. You aren’t proud of the work you do.
The question “What do you do for work?” almost always comes up at Friday night drinks when you’re introduced to any new person. Outside of the office, you hate talking about work because you’re not particularly proud of the fruits of your labour or the company you work for. In fact, you’re sometimes embarrassed by it. You quickly change the subject, make a smart ass remark or shift the attention back to the person you’re talking to hoping that’ll fly.
6. You spend way too much time on Facebook and Linkedin.
Let’s be honest, compared to what you know you’re capable of, your productivity sucks. You regularly escape your office cubicle by scrolling through Facebook and Linkedin. You justify looking at social media as “keeping on top of trends” and distract yourself from any real work. When someone makes a post about how much they love their job, you feel waves of jealousy and secretly wish they’d put a lid on it. You click on another cat video.
7. You feel drained.
You used to go to work engaged, full of life and ready to smash it. These days nothing happens before you’ve had a coffee and your will to work drops off dramatically after lunch. You look forward to afternoon tea way more than any of your work meetings but get depressed at the thought of what that’s doing to your waistline. You walk out of work feeling drained and don’t really feel you achieved anything meaningful with your day. Sad face.
These are seven signs it’s time for a change. Sometimes it’s possible to shift the dynamics within your job and re-engage but that requires focused cooperation from both you and your boss. Falling out of love with your work is normal. It’s happened to all of us at some point, and the important thing is to know when it’s time to break up.
In Melbourne town and other parts of Aus the coffee can't be beat. Here's three more reasons to find a new friend to try some new beans.
This is you.
Purpose. Meaning. Why. Let's talk about it.
We're not going to live forever. These old dogs remind us that nothing is permanent.
6 months. South and Central America. See ya later.