Feeling comfortable, confident, and prepared for networking is such a valuable skill to develop and hone throughout your career. It’s important as you return to work as it can help you refine what you are looking for and open new opportunities. Once back, building your internal and external networks can really help your career progression. In a recent webinar for members of our Professional Network, Rachel Halsall, Executive Coach, shared her thoughts on Natural Networking with us. Here Angharad Boyson, Women Returners new Coaching and Relationship Manager, summarises this session. 

Rachel’s definition of networking really cuts to the heart of it: The fastest and most enjoyable way to collaborate and share information.

Networking styles 

Using John Timperley’s four broad categories of why we network, Rachel has developed four styles of networking: 

• Business networker – you network to win business, build, and develop your career. The downside of this style is that you may not nurture relationships unless they consistently feel useful. 
• Relationships Connector – you find it easy to develop rapport and regularly contact your network. But you might be slightly slower to ask for business when the opportunity arises. 
• Ideas Connector – you enjoy connecting with people who can add new ideas or fresh debate and like to swap thoughts on an intellectual or technical level. However, you don’t necessarily stay connected with people whose thinking you believe is not up to date. 
• Learning Connector – you connect for personal development and with mentors or teachers, although you may have little time for those in other areas and you are not necessarily applying or sharing your learning. 

Rachel suggests identifying your own style and then purposely mixing that up, so that you try different styles.   

Different networks 

As well as different categories and styles of networking, there are different networks to develop. Herminia Ibarra, author of Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader, says these are: 

• Operations – internal network that helps you get things done 
• Personal – people that help you to grow and develop personally and professionally 
• Strategic – those that help you to generate strategic ideas, offer support; typically external. 

Rachel’s take on this separation of networks is about being able to conserve energy. If you have just one hour a month for networking, either divide this evenly across the three networks, or rotate each month where you expend your effort. It is important not to drop that personal network when you are busy. Whilst that is the obvious temptation, this network is just as important as the others and could be the one that provides you with that all important re-energising. By dividing your attention across all three equally, you reap the benefits of all three.  

What to ask for 

When we are networking, it can feel hard to know exactly what it is we are asking for. Rachel suggests that this can be divided into: 

• Knowledge – information, informed opinion, different perspective 
• Introduction – person, business, sector, membership 
• Recommendations – keep me in mind if….  

Networking when you’re time short!  

One of the biggest hurdles to effective networking is thinking that we do not have the time. Rachel gives us some tips on how to spend just 2-15 minutes to enhance your network: 

• A 2 minute phone call to book in a 15 minute catch up 
• 5 minutes per week to choose your target 
• A 15 minute catch up/zoom/phone call 
• An information sharing call and walk 
• How are you? 
• What are you seeing from where you sit? 
• Have you come across anything useful? 
• A call that holds us both to account 

Top tips 

Rachel closed with her top tips: 

• Generously share your network – who can you introduce in your network 
• Be useful (if in doubt, ASK) 
• Build trust, and most importantly … 
• Begin – look at those 2–15-minute tips and pick just one to begin today! 

With our annual Conference coming up, we’re sharing our tips on how to get ready to virtually network. 

We know many returners find the idea of attending a virtual conference or event quite daunting. You may be wondering what it will be like to use new technology and to interact with others in a virtual world, when past events you attended were in person. The beauty of a virtual event is that you can access a wealth of information and connect with experts, employers and others in a similar situation to yourself, without the cost and inconvenience of travel, or logistics and health risks in this current climate. In most cases (as with our Conference), you can also access recordings of anything you missed or something you want to watch again. We’ve put together some tips to help you with preparing beforehand and attending on the day. With good planning and preparation on your part, you can really ensure you get the most from the event.

Virtual set up: Firstly, be reassured that the technology for virtual events is designed to be easy to navigate. There will always be people online to contact for support and to help with any tech issues. You will be sent joining instructions and it is a good idea to register before the day and make sure that you have access to the correct apps, weblinks and passwords.  Give some thought to what you want to wear to look professional but to feel comfortable. Try to find a quiet place in your home where you are less likely to be disturbed or invest in a headset. It can also be a good idea to think about what is going to appear in your background. Don’t forget to mute yourself on the day (if needed) when you aren’t speaking.   

Set yourself some goals: Think about your motivations and reasons for attending the event in the first place. With our Conference, it might be that you want to build your confidence, connect with other returners, find out more about returner opportunities or start thinking about your interview technique?  Perhaps it is all of these things and more. Once you are clear on why you are investing your time, money and energy in attending a virtual event then break things down into specific goals. This may be to speak to two other returner attendees at the networking 1-2-1 video chats or to ask some specific questions to a particular employer sponsor. Achieving your goals will be a boost to your confidence. Just make sure your goals are achievable so that you don’t feel too much pressure. And don’t forget to pat yourself on the back when you’ve achieved them!

Plan your introduction: Although one of the workshops will cover in detail how to improve your self-marketing and develop your professional introduction, it’s a good idea to have a brief introduction prepared. This will increase your confidence and help you to feel prepared for a networking chat or a more targeting discussion with an employer sponsor. This needs the following: your name, a brief description of your professional background, a mention of your career break, and your reason for being at the conference. You may want to include the reason for and length of your break, but don’t make talking about your break the full focus of your introduction. It might help you to practise saying your introduction out loud or with a friend, to get used to talking about yourself in this way.

Prepare topics: Whether you’re focused on asking questions at the employer power hour, networking with other returners, or both, it’s a really good idea to do some advance preparation. Research the individual employers online and develop those questions you want to ask. Think about what you’d like to find out if you have a 1-2-1 virtual chat with another returner – asking questions when you meet someone new is an easier way to start a conversation. Advance preparation means you can arrive at the virtual conference confident that you’ll have something to say to the new people you meet. 

Develop ongoing connections: If you connect with other like-minded women, this could be the start of your return-to-work support group! You can decide to share email contact details in the networking sessions and/or use LinkedIn to connect in a more professional sense (just make sure to note down their full name!). After the event, you can also use our private LinkedIn and Facebook groups to find and connect with other returners.

For more general tips on how to network successfully, check out our Advice Hub, and How to network virtually

Catherine Kraus, Women Returners Coach, has created a short webinar on “How to Network Virtually” as part of our series to support our network through the COVID-19 crisis. Here’s a summary of some of the key points, with a link at the end if you want to watch the full 12 minute webinar.

Networking is extremely useful to you when returning to the workforce. It can lead to career opportunities and access to new information that you didn’t have before. And while face-to-face networking is a great way to grow your professional network, online networking skills are essential, particularly in our current social-distancing environment.

That’s why we’re offering you some guidance on “How to Network Virtually” – how to get started, how to reach out to others and how to follow-up with your contacts.

How to get started

• Set an intention: Before you start to reach out to others, you need to clarify for yourself what goal you are trying to achieve. Your intention may vary greatly, depending on what kind of information you’re hoping to learn from your potential contacts. If you’re returning from a longer career break, you may want to reconnect with a former colleague to understand the recent industry trends from her perspective. If you’re thinking about becoming a freelancer, you may want to reach out to an acquaintance who did the same, in order to understand the pros/cons being an entrepreneur. Set your intention by reflecting on what you’d like to learn and, then, as a next step, think about who could possibly help you get that information.

• Schedule time in your calendar: Networking doesn’t have to be time consuming. When you’re planning to return to work, you have a lot of things to do. That’s why it makes sense to set aside dedicated time to networking. This will be individual to your goals and availability. You could reserve one hour a week, say every Friday morning to reach out to 3-4 contacts or you can choose to block out one full afternoon per month to catch up on all your networking activities.

• Update your online profile: Make sure your online LinkedIn profile is updated and complete (for more details how to do this, read our blog post How to optimise your LinkedIn profile). Connecting with professionals in your area of work and reestablishing relationships can open up opportunities you might not have considered.

How to reach out to others

• Start with people you know: Many people find it intimidating to approach others, especially if it’s not in-person. It may feel contrived or needy. Luckily, psychology reassures us that, in general, people are open to helping others. Still, you can make it easier on yourself by starting to build your online network with people you know. You probably have more networking connections than you think. Sit down and brainstorm all the people you know: include former colleagues, neighbours, volunteer groups, your child’s school parents, sport club contacts and university and school friends. Then prioritise your list based on your networking goals.

• Make it personal: Adding a personal message to a LinkedIn connection request will help your request stand out. Remember if you worked at a big company or if it was a long time ago, you need to let ex-colleagues know exactly when, where, and how you worked together. Also take the time to personalise when you send an email, direct message or text: make it’s sincere, unique and all about connecting with the other person. Here are some ideas from The Muse on how to write a request to connect.

How to follow up with contacts

Last, but not least, you’ll want to keep track of and follow up with your networking contacts.

• Don’t keep it online: Fix phone or video calls with a few people on your priority list. Ask for 20-30 minutes of their time. Keep in mind your goal  when you’re structuring your request and the call itself.

• Keep notes: Remember to note down any follow-ups from the conversation: Did your contact give you additional contacts to reach out to? Did you get recommendations on important business articles to read? Did your contact ask you keep in touch with the progress of your job search in a month’s time? It helps to keep a simple spreadsheet with information such as: Name of contact, Background information, Date you last contacted, How you’re connected and Notes (e.g. your activities, possible next steps, or new leads).

For more tips on networking watch our pre-recorded webinar: How to Network Virtually presented by Catherine Kraus [12 mins]

We know many returners find the idea of networking quite daunting, so here are some tips to help you make the most of our Conference or other similar events. 

Set yourself a goal: This may be to speak to three people you haven’t met during the breaks between sessions, or there may be a particular employer sponsor you’d like to speak to. Achieving your goal will be a boost to your confidence. Just make sure your goal is achievable so that you don’t feel too much pressure. And don’t forget to pat yourself on the back when you’ve achieved it!

Plan your introduction: Although one of the workshops will cover in detail how to craft your personal story, it’s a good idea to have a brief introduction prepared. This needs three elements: your name, a brief description of your background, and your reason for being at the conference. You don’t need to talk about the reason for your break, or its length at this stage. If you are new to networking, it might help you to practise saying your introduction out loud or with a friend, to get used to talking about yourself in this way.

Prepare topics: Whether you’re focused on meeting an employer, or still working out your future direction, it’s a really good idea to do some advance preparation. This includes researching individual speakers and employers online and through your existing networks, and developing questions you can ask to specific individuals and generally to other conference attendees. If you find it uncomfortable to talk about yourself, ask questions when you meet someone initially – it’s an easier way to start a conversation. Advance preparation means you can arrive at the conference confident that you’ll have something to say to the new people you meet. 

Use LinkedIn to connect with other people: LinkedIn is a great way to find and connect with other attendees at a conference. You can do this manually, simply by looking up the people you meet. Or you can use a tech way if you have a smartphone: 

1. Enable Bluetooth on your phone. 
2. Click on the two people icon at the bottom of the screen in the LinkedIn app and then ‘find nearby’ in the middle at the top of the screen
3. You will then be able to invite anyone at the event who also has this screen open to connect. 

For more tips on how to network successfully, see these blogs in our Advice Hub: Top tips for enjoyable networkingAre you missing the point of networking at an event?Do I really have to network?

1. Create some quiet space and time to brainstorm different areas of your life in which you have contacts who might be able to help you. Be creative and think broadly!
2. Consider contacts in Past and Present, together with ideas on new contacts you could develop in the Future. Here are some groupings to get you started (adapted from the excellent book Back on the Career Track):
   1. Past: School, university, professional training, work (colleagues, clients, suppliers, alumni groups)
   2. Present: Family, friends, neighbours, sports, hobbies, volunteer contacts, religious and community contacts, professional bodies, school network
   3. Future: Create local alumni network or job search group, volunteer, join an association
3. Include all the people you know in each group. Make a rule not to rule people out. Remember to keep an open mind and approach it with curiosity – wouldn’t it be interesting to find out who people might know? Use LinkedIn to find people from your past and enlist others to remind you of people you may have forgotten about.
4. Map it out in a way that works for you – it might be a spider diagram, post-it notes on a large piece of paper or a spreadsheet.
5. Prioritise your 1st level contacts – those you will approach first – by creating relevant criteria such as: “Do they have relevant sector/function/technical knowledge?” “Do I think they will know a lot of other people who could help?” “Do I feel comfortable contacting this person early on?”   
6. Then map out 2nd and 3rd level contacts – those you will approach later. John Lees’ book Just the Job is helpful in explaining how to work out different levels of contacts.

1. Your primary goal is to use your network to make useful new contacts. Approach your 1st level contacts – tell them what type of work you’re looking for, relating it to your interests, skills and experience before and during your break. Ask them if they know of anyone who might be able to offer you advice or to provide information on your area(s) of interest, and if they would be happy to make an introduction.
2. With each new person you meet, ask at the end of the conversation if they could introduce you to anyone else who would be interesting to speak to.
3. Create a system for tracking your progress and adding to the network as you expand your list of contacts. A spreadsheet works well at this point.
4. Reward your progress – it’s better to approach several useful contacts per week than to spend hours researching on the internet with no focus. Every time you set up a call, arrange a coffee or gain a new introduction reward yourself in some sort of way that’s meaningful for you – it will take time and effort but will be of great long-term benefit not only for your first role back but in terms of your ongoing career opportunities!

• To walk into a room of
  people and to engage in interesting conversations;
• To find out more about another
  person and their perception and ideas;
• To enjoy social interaction in person rather than through social
  media;
• To share knowledge;
• To build new contacts and widen your network of interesting people;
• To find out what is going on in your or
  other sectors;
• To make introductions to help interesting
  people meet other interesting people.

At the Conference I saw that some great conversations were happening all around the room, and that new relationships were being developed. I hope that these conversations continued after the event. Staying in
touch and nurturing that connection is essential – in most cases it is through this on-going effort, rather than the initial introduction, that
you will see the advantages of having a great network pay off.

Why networking is important for a back-to-work job search


We talk regularly about the importance of networking as one of the key routes to get back to work after a long career break. The value of networking has really been brought home to me by two recent experiences.

First of all, two highly experienced and qualified women who have successfully returned to work, one in investment banking and the other to a senior corporate role, told me how unhelpful headhunters were when they approached them. This included headhunters with whom they previously had relationships during their pre-break careers. The banker (who is now happily employed at Credit Suisse following a placement on the Real Returns programme) was told that her career break of 11 years was too long for the headhunter to place her. She was advised that the only way to find a role would be through her own network.

Separately in a meeting I attended to learn more about a new and growing professional women’s network, my contact told me about two roles that she was trying to fill, in a discreet way, that might be suitable for a returner. These two roles are examples of the true ‘hidden job market’ that really does exist: often managers want to make a hire quickly, quietly, inexpensively and without lots of administration. They rely on their networks to do this as they view their own contacts as reliable and credible sources of talented candidates.

Five ways to build your networks

To access the hidden job market and circumvent unhelpful headhunters you need to get networking. Networking doesn’t simply consist of walking into a room full of strangers and introducing yourself. More broadly, networking provides you with opportunities to connect with people who have similar interests, talents and concerns that you have. Through your engagement with them you will have opportunities to learn about potential roles and to talk about your own search. Ways to start making these contacts include joining any of the following:

1. Membership organisations that match your professional interests. Networks exist for people with interests ranging from hedge funds to horticulture, oil engineering to oriental languages. These organisations commonly have informative newsletters, speaker events and training opportunities
2. Relevant LinkedIn groups where you can initiate or contribute to discussions. In this way, you’ll learn more about the issues that are current, raise your profile in the group and gain openings to contact people directly
3. Alumni groups. All universities and business schools and many employers and secondary schools have these in place, as they recognise the value of a long-term relationship with you. Many of these groups actively encourage members to talk to each other for employment advice
4. Professional associations. If you have a professional qualification, your accrediting body will also have a useful network as well as offering other career support
5. Informal networks. Aside from these formal routes, you can make valuable connections through broadening or taking a more active role in social or community activities – a community group, a volunteer organisation, a school parent body, a religious community. We rarely know who our local networks are connected to and the ‘hidden jobs’ they might know about.

As you build these connections, remember to talk to them about your background and what you are looking for, so that they will be able to help you. For your networking to be effective you have to be clear and convincing about the role you are seeking. See our previous post on Telling your Story if you are unsure how to do this.

For more advice on networking, see our previous posts
Do I really have to network?
Top tips for enjoyable networking
LinkedIn – an essential tool for your return to work

Posted by Katerina