Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Book Review: Smart Networking by Liz Lynch

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Networking is the most important, and sometimes most difficult, aspect of the job hunt. Lucky for all of us, Liz Lynch has made it a little easier by offering a guide for job seekers, entrepreneurs and careerists with her terrific book, Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person and Online.

Appropriately, I first “met” Liz by networking! I noticed that one of my contacts, Walter Akana, followed her on Twitter, and I followed her, too. I was delighted when she contacted me to participate in a round of interviews about her book. It was fun to win a round of the contests she sponsored and to receive a copy of her book as part of my prize.

If you don’t like networking, this book is for you! I thought Liz’s analogy that networking is like exercise was perfect: “Some people love it, but for many, it’s something they know they must do for good long-term health.” If you are a reluctant networker or consider it unsavory, you’ll want to read a book by someone who admits that she rarely speaks to people on airplanes! Liz allows for everyone’s individual networking style and needs; she addresses all of them in her book.

Liz notes the importance of thinking of networking as relationship building, not as transactions between people. She reminds readers that there are many great ways to network, and that one of the best ways to build your “networking gravity” – “the force that draws people automatically into your world with whom you have the greatest potential to build mutually beneficial relationships” is by introducing people to each other!

I’m a big proponent of being a connector, someone who enjoys linking people together for their advantage. I love how Liz explains the importance of having a “long tail” online. Extending your reach via social networking broadens your circle of influence and allows you to consciously and generously add value to others by introducing them to contacts in your circle. By doing so, you open the door to untold numbers of opportunities.

Not only does Liz offer great tips (such as: write notes on the back of YOUR business card when you hand it to someone), she also offers suggestions of networking plans customized to your own needs and preferences. She also reminds us that there is no “magic bullet.”

The bottom line – networking IS here to stay. The marketplace will continue to be competitive, and if you bury your head in the sand and try to avoid networking, you will lose out on a lot of opportunities. Liz closes her book with a quote by Jack Canfield, “When you lift others up, they will lift you up.” This is so true. Being known as someone who helps and supports others, be it in the workplace or elsewhere, is a high honor and doorway to success.

Give generously, don’t keep score and follow Liz’s tips and you may be surprised at the results!

Need a little extra help getting started? I can help you put your networking plans into action for a successful job hunt. Contact me to learn more!


Interview with Liz Lynch, Author of Smart Networking

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Liz Lynch, founder of the Center for Networking Excellence and author of the newly released Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person and Online, mastered the skill of networking from the ground up and is now a sought-after speaker who brings a practical and insightful perspective to networking that has connected with a global audience. Her printed and audio products have sold on six continents, she’s been invited to speak at conferences and organizations around the world and her writings have been translated into multiple languages.

So, when Liz invited me to join her virtual interview series contest for bloggers, I was delighted to sign on! Liz touts her new book as “the essential guidebook for building business relationships in a wired world.” (Please vote for my interview by clicking HERE and scrolling to vote for me in week #2)

I enjoyed the opportunity to include her expert perspective on a topic regular readers know is one of the most important for job seekers: networking for success!

Here are my questions and what Liz had to say:

What “homework” should prospective networkers do before they attempt to engage in new networking relationships?

I’m glad you asked about homework, because so many people go into networking situations completely unprepared, expecting magic to happen. The best homework is to create a plan for your networking (Chapter 13 of Smart Networking takes you step-by-step to develop one). You want an overall plan, a big picture strategy, but you also want a plan for your ground game. Before you go into a networking event or even a one-on-one meeting, know exactly why you’re going, what you want to know and what you want to convey about yourself. Having a plan will help you sound more confident and give you more confidence. It will also help you achieve what you want much faster.

How do you advise busy people seeking to take advantage of the best online AND in-person networking? What are the “must haves” in a successful networking suitcase?

In marketing it’s almost always more expensive to acquire a new customer than to keep an old one. If you’re churning and burning through your network, you’ll have to do a lot more work and spend a lot more time just to stay even. So if I had to pick the “must haves” they would be those tools that allow you to stay in touch with your network and communicate with them easily, namely online sites like LinkedIn and Facebook, and those skills like mastering the art of the ask that help you get the help you need when you need it.

What are your top three tips to help professionals who are behind the 8-ball in today’s economy because they haven’t already built a strong network?

  1. Realize that you do have a network already of former colleagues, classmates, etc. and it’s worth spending time reconnecting with those folks to re-establish your connection.
  2. Use online networking sites to find these contacts and invite them to connect with you so you have an easy way to reach out to them later.
  3. Tell everyone you know what you are looking for.

How can an unemployed job seeker network effectively without seeming desperate?

First take action with the steps outlined in the previous question, so you have your network set up to help you. Then, take additional actions to get visible. It may be tempting to stay at home and not want to get out in public because you don’t feel great about yourself, but start meeting people in different ways, like volunteering at a local charity or signing up for art class. Depending how long you’ve been job hunting, getting in a new environment can help shake things up and give you a strong purpose to follow that can spill over into improving how you feel about your job search.

What advice do you have about cultural differences to consider when networking?

I was in China in June and realized how people there seem much more comfortable asking questions that we wouldn’t find appropriate here in the U.S. Questions like, “How much money do you make?” would leave most of us aghast. Networking across borders requires diplomacy. It’s helpful if you know you’re going to be traveling to get some guidance from a local. And be prepared to respectfully decline to answer questions that make you uncomfortable.

What questions do you have about networking? I’d be happy to answer them in a future post or direct you to a resource!

Don’t forget that I am available to help with all of your job search needs! Everything you need to know is right here on this site!