Most people have poor online networking skills. That’s not because they are antisocial or unable to hold a conversation, but making a connection online is different from meeting someone at a conference or a cocktail party. And those who master the art of online networking find a multitude of rewards.
Consider that there are 500 million Facebook users. That is one out of every 13 people on the planet. And each of those users has an average of 130 friends. So when you think about the exponential possibilities of tapping into the larger Facebook network, you can understand why online networking has become such an important part of job search. With the right series of introductions you can meet almost anyone online.
The challenge is using the proper approach to get the desired results. The right exchange of information can open the right doors to your next career move. However, most job seekers don’t understand their networking needs. They don’t understand that nurturing connections leads to other connections that lead to desired contacts. Job seekers are too quick to say “hire me” and not open to exchanging information to deepen a relationship. You have to ask the right questions and have a clear idea of what you need to get from those questions. You can use questions to move the conversation from casual chat to information sharing. However, you also want to keep the questions friendly to build a rapport and not make the other party uncomfortable.
The best approach is to pose open-ended questions, rather than “yes or no” questions. You want to enter into a dialogue and give the other party a chance to demonstrate his or her interests and expertise. If you put these open-ended questions to work in the right way, you can forge a connection that can be valuable in your job search and in other aspects of your career. Try questions such as “What advice would you give someone starting in this business?”or “What credentials to you look for in this position?”
At some point in the exchange that follows, you will be able to steer the question to getting the insights you want for your job search. Don’t ask “Do you know anyone…?” That’s too direct and will turn off a potential contact. Back into the question by asking “who do you know…?” instead. A lot depends on how you ask the question. If you pose it in the right way, you are more likely to get the right answers.
Of course, you can’t make the conversation all about you and consider it a dialogue. You need to be able to offer assistance and information in return. Find out what your contacts are interested in. What are their networking objectives? And offer what assistance you can from your network of contacts or whatever resources you can provide.
