You dream of a new profession and industry, but often people aren't 100 percent sure on “what they want to do when they grow up.” When you want to change career fields, building a new network becomes essential for a successful transition. Your networking strategy should start with creating a 30-second commercial that summarizes what you want to do—a brief explanation of your skillset that explains that you are trying to network with people from various industries to determine the best direction for your next career step.
Networking with new people gives you the opportunity to learn about potential new fields, test out your ideas about new careers, and get a real world view into what the day-to-day life of a particular profession would be like. These 6 tips will help you get started in determining your new career path.
Attend an event in which you are interested.
Conduct an online search or look in your local community papers to find events to attend and to meet new people. Decide on the top three subjects where you would like to learn something new and be with other people who share your same interest such as photography, botany or a social cause.
It is much easier to engage in conversation with someone who shares your same interest. During the conversation, transition into asking them what they do for work and what they enjoy the most. Ask if you could meet for coffee to learn more about them and their role.
Really make LinkedIn work for you.
Research the backgrounds of your LinkedIn second connections—who you would like to know. Before you reach out to them, identify what it is about their background that intrigues you. To successfully build a relationship with someone you don't know, you must remember this process is not really about you, it is about them. Demonstrate that you want to learn from their expertise, by asking well-thought out questions on their background and areas of interest outside of their job.
Use your own network, associations, trade groups, and meetings.
You can use LinkedIn's "Search Group" function to determine if you know someone who is a member of a specific company or industry group and ask if you can attend the next meeting as their guest and that you will pay if there is an extra “guest” charge. Being introduced to a new organization by someone who knows you will help build your credibility quickly and your network.
Attend a general business event and introduce yourself to at least three people.
To step out of comfort zone, read your local business Journals to find and attend a non-specific industry event, such as an awards dinner, best places to work, or general networking events. On average, more than 100 people attend, and they are a great way to meet people in new industries. If you are uncomfortable meeting new people and attending alone, bring a friend or colleague who can be your anchor or "go-to person" as you work the room.
Fine tune your active listening skills.
The best approach to building your network is to listen more than you speak. Networking is not to tell people you are looking to change jobs and ask them to connect on LinkedIn with you. Everyone has their story to share, so this initial conversation is about them remembering you. Focus the conversation on them—and not you—to help pave the way for a lasting, beneficial relationship.
Make follow up a priority and offer something of value to your contact.
You have heard that networking is about building relationships with people who can provide you with information, advice, and contacts to help you find the right role in your job search. The trick is that you must focus on building the relationships first, and then your contacts will be more inclined to help you meet new contacts or tell you about positions that become open before they are advertised.
It takes more than one interaction with that person to build a strong relationship. Send them an article about their area of business, a link to a website, or tell them how you took action on something you discussed in your meeting. Always follow up with an email, handwritten note. or phone call to express the value you found in the conversation. Building a new network is about reciprocity, so remember to ask them, if there is anything you could do for them.
Finally, you might need to brush up on your relationship building skill. A good place to start is Dale Carnegie's book How to Win Friends & Influence People—a true classic and a must read!
