How To Network To Success

Oftentimes, getting the job comes down to building relationships. One way I did this early on in my postal career was to seek out ways in which I could showcase other people and their talent.

Late Motivational Speaker Zig Ziglar was often quoted as saying, “You can get everything you want in life, if you just help enough other people get what they want.”

Well, I learned that lesson very early on in life and because of my love for writing; I have been able to build relationships because I love to highlight other people and the talent they bring to our organization.

So today, look to find what you can do to help others. Start building relationships and you will see how quickly you will be able to network yourself to a new job.

An excellent book that shines light on this topic is Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time
Ferrazzi’s ability to connect with others and develop long-lasting relationships led to a scholarship at Yale.

In his book, you’ll learn the importance of making others feel important by remembering things about them that most people don’t, such as their child’s name or their anniversary.

Also don’t be afraid to open up and show vulnerability to others. When people see the real you, they are more apt to like and want to help you succeed.

In the end, Ferrazzi presents a plethora of ideas to widen your circle of contacts that goes way beyond the usual concepts of “networking.”

Below are some tips you can use to establish great connections:

• Practice, practice practice. I believe practice makes permanent. The more you meet people and force yourself out of your comfort zone, the better you’ll become at it. One way you can put this into practice is by attending a local Meetup in your area. (www.meetup.com).
• Volunteer to help out in your organization. This is a great way to meet new people. The more people that you get to know you, the better it will be for your career.
• Be sincere. Don’t build relationships superficially. Be authentic, transparent and genuine in your endeavors to meet new people inside and outside your organization.
• Be helpful. Remember the quote by Zig Ziglar I mentioned earlier that says “You can have everything you want in life if you’ll just help enough other people get what they want. Don’t ask someone to help you before you offer to help them. Endeavor to give and you will inevitably receive.
• Stay in touch frequently. Although we all lead busy lives, by taking the time to call or email someone, you’ll truly stand out from the crowd. And my personal favorite is write a card and mail it.

Action Item: Write down 10 people you like to connect with. Now go connect with them.

Meiko Patton is part of the GovLoop Featured Blogger program, where we feature blog posts by government voices from all across the country (and world!). To see more Featured Blogger posts, click here.