This is a companion piece to an earlier post called How To Create Opportunities.
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Weird things happen to me all the time. People who know me will tell you that my updates are rarely boring. Although I’ve experienced gobs of near misses professionally, some nice opportunities have hit and more continue to come along as time goes on.
I don’t believe in luck, and chance has zero power since it is not a thing. Every effect must have a cause. As Branch Rickey–general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1940s–said, “Luck is the residue of design.” I’ve had that statement clipped to my heartstrings since college.
We don’t have to take chances, but we don’t have to succeed either. As a great leader I know has said, “If you’re not failing, you’re not trying.”
I fail plenty because I try things, sometimes stupid things. Some of you have witnessed this fact firsthand. That’s okay because there’s always a point in those missteps even if it’s just to figure out one more thing that doesn’t work. I am way more comfortable with screwing up than I am with never attempting anything.
A big part of this process includes what we call networking. Go back far enough in history and you’ll find that the word comes from ancient fishermen. Picture the disciples casting their nets over the side of the boat. That net was their greatest tool. They threw it out there consistently, each time hoping to successfully hit their target. Bigger nets gave those guys a better chance of snagging what they were after, but teamwork was vital to the operation.
Now lets step back into the 21st century. Networking has never been easier or more vital, especially in a world dominated by social networks.
Twitter is key, a powerful tool to weave into your network. You should be working on Twitter if you aspire to advance in any field. I guarantee that the industry leaders you need to know are there. Follow them. Emulate their methods. Interact with like-minded individuals.
I was recently asked to be on a panel of writing pros (Word Nerds) for the website BrazenCareerist.com. They asked me for some thoughts on networking prior to our main event. I mentioned the importance of timing and suggested never turning anything down. Every job, regardless of how small, is a stepping stone to the next bit of work. Make connections along the way and you never know where they will lead.
I added that you should never take anyone for granted when networking. I’ve watched inexperienced people blow off a person who could have opened key doors for them. You never know who will help you breakthrough so aim to impress everyone you meet.
Ironically, I met a recent college grad during our main online event. His bio said he needed connections in Washington D.C. He wasn’t a writer, but I happen to know a couple of people in that town who are seriously wired in. Before I could tell him anything, the guy skipped on past me. Apparently I didn’t look like someone who could help him. He might have learned very differently by spending 60 short seconds with me.
Students and young professionals miss so many opportunities by failing to realize the need for connections. How many summers are wasted by people who only think about a paycheck rather than their future? Taking a lesser paying position now in the right spot might be far more valuable in the long run. You may even have to give yourself away for nothing but a shot at impressing someone. Taking unpaid work can be risky but is sometimes necessary. We can be both calculating and daring.
The greatest thing about these concepts is that they’re all pulled together in the value of others. Every person matters, and you learn to look at those around you in terms of how they are important and what you can do for them. People matter and opportunities pop up when you focus on what you can do for others.
Maybe you like nutshells. Here’s one:
1. Set goals & recognize your value.
2. Talk to everybody but listen and find out how you can serve them.
3. Use social media technologies.
4. Put the work in networking.
5. Nail the opportunities you get.
Above all, be deliberate in everything you do. When I work with kids they sometimes lose focus and straggle. A simple three word command usually gets them back on track: Move with purpose. Where are you going? Move towards that destination with purpose. Don’t waste time. Be deliberate.
Success is not about luck but design. Weave a strong net, expand it as much as possible, enlist others to come alongside you, and start casting. Mama wasn’t joking when she said there are plenty of fish in the sea.
What experiences have you had with networking?
Any success stories or advice?
Connect with me on Twitter @ClayMorganPa.
I’ve hand picked these three resources if you would like to learn more.
- How to Network video by Howcast.com
- How to use Twitter to Network at Conferences (smartblogs.com)
- How to Become a Master at Networking (erikapryor.com)
You do a most excellent job of this!
Thanks Rob!
Here’s my story.
Once, I got Freshly Pressed. I figured out this had nothing to do with my ironing skills. From being FP, I met some cool people, like Kelly, Chase, and Clay. In turn they introduced me to more cool people (y’all know who you are). Then Clay and I had a bloggy love child (a.k.a. Search Bomb) who kept us up at night. Well, kept me up at night.
I’d say the net is working. Weird things happen to good people. Maybe.
You rock. Some might say we’ve been a little careless with our young bloggish progeny, that we shouldn’t let so many people from around the globe run off with it. I say that what we’ve hatched is for the world. As long as we get full credit and any financial windfall.
I have nothing to say except that this article was beyond brilliant. So, so good.
Thanks Knox!
“People matter and opportunities pop up when you focus on what you can do for others.”
Truth! Good stuff.
And you know the truth’s up in heayah.
Networking with like-minded people has been one of the most fun things about blogging for me…of course, I was networking professionally long before I ever started blogging, but most of the people I meet in “real life” are not writers.
I have a hard time getting my children to say “Hi” to their friends if we run into them on the street…they are absolutely terrified at the thought of striking up a conversation with someone they don’t know! I don’t think I’ve done a good enough job impressing upon them how important talking to people is…
Good post, Clay!
Wendy
Good thoughts Wendy. I think it’s natural to avoid those conversations with strangers. I was always talkative in my teens but never too much when it came to random people. But as they get older remind them how many job opps come through existing contacts.
Thanks, Clay, for making me realize the importance (and enjoyment) of interacting with other writers. After meeting you at the writing conference I realized how much fun it is to talk with other creative types. I spent so many years using writing as a substitute for a social life that I forgot the two are not exclusive; they can complement one another in a variety of ways.
Great point Aaron and great to hear from you! Thanks for being under 40 years old. That really brought us together
The hermit life of a writer is appealing, but we need people to know who we are if we hope to sell books to anyone. Thanks for commenting.
I love this post. And that quote! Luck is the residue of design – holy crap. I love it. I’m writing it on my dry-erase board in permanent marker right after I’m done typing this comment.
Networking in my world has led to: panel gigs, speaking at a college orientation, committee work (all really awesome “free” work), a future teaching opp, and a lot of cool stuff for the people I know including jobs, free chickens, and a popcorn machine.
Sounds like you are a mover and shaker. And the irony here is that you and I met through…wait for iiiittttt…networking! That quote is gold. And on your dry-erase board you should also write that eduClaytion.com is the greatest site on the internet today. I hear they give promotions for that.
My problem with networking in the past has been partly one of confidence. I’ve learned to hide it well, but I’m fairly shy and have a hard time approaching people. Online is easier and I’ve had more success once I started taking chances.
But also in the mix is the matter of perception. When I was a girl, no matter what the situation, my mother always told me to not be ‘a pest.’ It could have been my best friend’s party, which she’d begged me to attend, but there it was in the back of my mind: ‘if you draw attention to yourself, you’re a pest.’ I’ve let that fear of ‘being a pest’ stop me from creating more opportunities for myself, which is entirely my fault! Thanfully, I’ve finally given that voice the ole heave-ho once and for all!
Everything you wrote in this post, Clay, is so right, right, right and thanks for helping the lesson sink into my thick skull!
I even recently joined Twitter because of a discussion in the comments a few weeks ago, although I swore I never would! Though to be fair, it’s only recently that I’ve been ‘moving with purpose’ as you say (so precise and eloquent – love it!)
I can relate in that I come from a long line of people who don’t want to bother anyone. A buncha recluses in my family tree I think. One of the great things about thinking of networking in terms of how you can serve others is that you are now looking at things from a perspective that benefits them. That’s not pesky! Thanks for your great thoughts.
Totally agree with you. I’ve worked as a freelance editor for the past several years and EVERY SINGLE job I’ve gotten has been through a networked connection.
You are awesome. I love it when high-powered women agree with me.
Great post, Clay. I completely agree that you make your own luck.
The flip side of your assertion that you never know who can help you is the realization that you never know who will have the power to burn you.
I once had a college course where all the work, except the final exam, was graded as a group. Rise together, fall together. The student body vice president happened to be in my work group and he never contributed. He went so far as to blow off all our out-of-class prep sessions then show up on presentation day saying, “Okay, what’s my part?”
Two years later, I saw him stepping into a conference room with my company’s recruiter. When I mentioned that I knew him, she asked what I thought of him and I relayed my experience. Despite an impressive resume and a slick personality, he didn’t get the job.
Lesson: Don’t burn bridges – and never think that your effort (or lack thereof) won’t matter. The world is a smaller place than you think. Your past can, and usually will, haunt you.
Two solid applications for sure. 1) Always treat people right because you never know what can come back around. 2) Putting yourself out there will inevitably lead to occasional problems. To risk or not to risk eh? I say go for stuff!
Being someone who naturally likes making friends, I don’t have a problem with the meeting people part of networking. Where I tend to get hung up is trying to figure out if it’s okay to ask someone that I consider a friend for help with a more business oriented thing lest they think that the whole reason that I wanted to talk to them in the first place was just related to what they could get me. I’ve improved in that over the past year, but it’s still something that I worry about.
Good stuff.
Thanks for commenting Alise. I know what you’re talking about. That’s why it’s so good to think about the needs of the networked. Then we can interact without feeling shady.
THIS was a phenomenal post. All of your sentences . . . what’s the word, um, “POPPED” as you call it. I especially liked your fishing description of networking.
You make me happy. Like a really lot. Sorry, I used up all my Poppy sentences. But thank you. Seriously.
Really enjoyed reading this one. It’s a further reminder of my great Achilles heel in life (hey, everyone’s got one) which is my inability to connect with others. Yes, I know I need to work on it, especially as it pertains to my writing. I used to say I had no earthly idea how to start, but this post has given me some ideas.
I’m glad to hear you are a bit encouraged. From what I hear you say it sounds like you need to focus on #1 and recognize your value. You’re a strong writer with great personality and a unique voice. Start there.
Move with Purpose. Love it.
I think networking when you’re not looking for anything else is a great rule. Even if I’m not looking for a job, trying to open a door in a new town or start a new business, being involved in the plans and projects of others, out of sincere interest, may afford me opportunities later, or not, but investing in others is rarely wasted.
You know that’s right. I engage people all the time just to see where the conversation may go. Great point Kristin!
It’s usually the people who you least suspect will help you out, do. Being in the right place at the right time also helps.
Timing is a biggie. No doubt. And you are correct about the ones you never expected. Tx for commenting.
Smart and helpful post, especially after reading the all-knowing Twitter Tuesdays posts by Kristen Lamb. Thanks for introducing me in the twitter world, Clay!
You know it Bloggy! You are too cool to not show around to my tweeps. Good to have you in the fold.
Your Number 2 is huge.
Wait, let me rephrase that. I mean your second nutshell is very important.
Always be on the lookout for ways to help others. It’s easy to spot networkers who are only looking to further themselves, and for me they are a major turn-off. But show a willingness to help others, and I’ll go that extra mile for you.
Ha! There’s a vulnerability in the approach that is about being willing to help others, but sometimes that’s a key to everybody winning. Thanks for the comment Larry.
Connectors, mavens and salesmen … we need them all according to Gladwell. Just another way of saying “It’s not what you know so much as who you know.”
— Judson
Good stuff. I’ve heard other researchers talk about the sneezers, those with influence to get everybody.
Awesome post, Clay. It’s so true that you never know what connection will lead to opportunity. Like you, I’ve had people totally blow me off for superficial reasons. Especially in law. “What? Stay at home mom? Not using law degree down on 17th Street? Yea. Let’s catch up later. See ya.” The thing is that when people don’t really care about others, it shows. If they have enough money to buy their goals, as the fellow did in the quoted conversation, it won’t matter to them. But for those who are fighting their way to the top, they will never make it without some sincerity, and they will never know why.
You, my fryber, are an awesome example of how to network. Thank you for showing us how it’s done.
Thanks Piper. That’s the trouble with clawing your way to the top: You slash a lot of people on the way up. And they remember when you come back down.
I’m often that kid who loses focus and straggles behind. Posts like this (and people like you) help steer me back. Sometimes there are so many directions to choose from, that it’s difficult to take a step.
Great post!
Thanks Amanda. I am also susceptible to doing too many things at once. Gotta focus myself.
This is, of course, fantastic. However, I simply have to know WHEN are you doing all this amazing writing. You are crazy prolific. It is outrageous. This piece is beautiful and you should have been paid by the word for it.
After sucking up, I would like to talk about twitter. I don’t get it. I mean, I have an account and I follow people and I know people can see what I write, but I actually don’t know how to repost a story on twitter. I need a tutorial. I’m sure my 11 year old son could find something for me if he Googled it, and then I could watch it, but I would like to understand HOW this twit can actually benefit by tweeting. We may need a conference call, if you can squeeze me in, Fryber.
Remember, I knew you before you were .com. Now you are a brand. How are those t-shirts coming along?
I agree that I should be paid by the word. Would you like to represent me and tell the literary powers what they’re missing? Thank you very much. T-shirts and mugs are in the works.
I may be able to help you with various points on Twitter. I googled stuff for answers. You’ve already got the share button on your posts so that’s a great start. The bottom line with Twitter is multiplying your efforts. If someone with 2K followers retweets my post for example, that’s a whole new pool of potential visitors. Find people who you like and share their stuff. They’ll usually be happy to reciprocate. In the meantime interact and converse (doesn’t have to be much) with those cool peeps you find. Once the beast gets going it’s hard to stop.
Twitter? Really? Oh man, I guess I should set that up. Can’t I just ride your coat tails? Maybe you could just tweet how awesome I am. What’s your rate per tweet?
Oh Thoughtsie, you make it so hard to be good when you ask about my rate per tweet. But you should be on Twitter too! People like you, so it stands to reason that more people will like you too.
I couldn’t agree more with your sentiments about “never turn anything down.” I am a big advocate that you don’t know how an opportunity will lead to something else in the future. Networking is more than just letting people know what you’re doing, but creating opportunities for yourself.
Thanks for adding the link to my blog.
Great to hear your thoughts Erika. Thanks so much for stopping by! And you are absolutely right.