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Earn More Through Networking: An Interview with Scot Herrick

January 20, 2009 | Author: Jessica Howard | Filed under: The Networking Habit

High-earning professionals tend to have something in common: They believe that networking translates into better earning potential. Based on our study on networking and career advancement, almost 60 percent of respondents believe a person skilled at networking could see a “significant, substantial or dramatic” impact on income — even up to a 100-percent increase.

For anyone dubious about the idea that networking can provide tangible or measurable results, here are some examples from Scot Herrick, the writer behind Cube Rules: Career Management for Cubicle Warriors. Scot’s blog hits home the idea that what’s in the company’s best interest isn’t necessarily in your best interest, and that networking is one way to take control of your career.

In the following interview, Scot talks about how networking has been instrumental in his own career path, and why he’s developing a training course called Networking for the Cubicle Warrior.

UpMo: Can give a personal example of how networking has resulted in a tangible, measurable or profitable result for you? Has there been a point in your life that has illustrated the power of knowing people, staying in touch, and developing relationships?

Scot Herrick: I can give a couple. First, from the work world, I was able to interview for a position, sight and resume unseen, based on the recommendation of a person I had worked with previously. A hiring manager was looking for a person with specific skills and this person who I had worked with before said that if that was the need, the manager should give me a call. First phone interview in a day, second interview next day, hired on the fourth day. I hadn’t talked to the person who recommended me for six months, but that person knew that I was a good fit.

I have also had a hiring manager tell me they were looking for someone for a position … that was a promotion for me … and I said I’d be interested. Got that position, too.

Second, there are numerous examples that are related peripherally to the work world. For example, how to do podcasting? Someone in my network helped. Need an executive editor for the book I am writing? Another person in my network. Best software for a particular application? Another person in my network.

There are just too many examples of the power of a network to help each person in the network.

UpMo: Would you agree that effective networking has a significant impact on earning potential?

Scot Herrick: Yes, though perhaps not for the obvious answer. When one effectively networks, you will simply find out about many more opportunities than someone who does not effectively network. The reason is that people in networks want to help each other. Consequently, when they hear of an opportunity, it is rarely for them specifically. Instead, they hear the opportunity and then recommend you for the interview for the position. When one shares opportunities within their network, those opportunities come back around to you in due time. So you earn more because you hear about more opportunities, not just because you know someone.

Not only does it affect earning potential, but effective networking usually translates into you doing work you want – if not love – to do. When you are recommended for positions by people in your network, they will automatically examine the position based on your job skills AND your willingness to be in a position that suits you well. Then you do work you love and earn money doing it. That translates into great performance and accomplishments – leading you to more opportunities.

UpMo: When you think of someone that you consider an elite networker, what do they do that most people don’t? Are they a particular personality type, or do they have particular habits?

Scot Herrick: First, they perform. A person can’t network well if they don’t perform well on the job they are doing. The performance earns respect, so the recommendation from this person has more gravitas than from someone who is marginally performing on the job. People look to get information from someone who “gets it” on the job and not someone who is clueless.

Second, they are always interested in what you are doing, what you like and dislike about jobs and life. When they know you better, even if it is a bullet-point conversation for one minute every three months, they are better able to steer appropriate people your way.

Third, they are willing to share without the quid pro quo in return. They know if they are unselfish with their willingness to recommend someone that they will have good things happen for themselves in time.

Fourth, they choose their recommendations carefully. This sounds like a contradiction to being unselfishness to recommend a person, but they realize their recommendation carries significant weight and impacts their reputation in their network. They don’t recommend five people for a position, they recommend one. Or, perhaps, two. They will unselfishly recommend someone, but not some army.

UpMo: Based on the findings of our study on networking and career advancement, neither academia nor corporate culture foster networking activity. Do you think that there should be more formal education for networking? Or, is it simply a skill that comes with experience, maturity and knowing where you want to go?

Scot Herrick: I’m, in fact, writing a training course on Cube Rules that specifically addresses “Networking for the Cubicle Warrior” because I see such a need for this type of skill. Networking today is not as widespread as it should be for quite a few reasons. First, people depend on their company too much for their career and don’t see the need for networking. Second, there are too many misrepresentations of networking as being a waste of time or evil (hand out business cards and only ask for jobs) so there is reluctance to engage in the habit. Third, people have no tools to manage their network (and LinkedIn doesn’t cut it for a network tool; the only one I have seen that does a great job is JibberJobber.com) and consequently lose people in their network all the time.

There is simply too much evidence that effective networking helps people find jobs, find them faster, and provide more opportunities across all of a person’s life to not have this as a baseline career skill. But people don’t know how to go about it and have resistance to engaging in the work to do the right kind of networking.

It really isn’t as much about “experience, maturity, or knowing where you want to go” because most people don’t know what they don’t know. If five years ago someone would have told me that I’d be operating a business of career management for cubicle warriors, I’d have told them they were crazy. But a few job skills, a bit of opportunity, some motivation and here I am. So, the networking provides opportunities for work and then you can choose your direction based on your personal needs at the time.

UpMo: Most of our study participants seem to think that depth of relationships is more important than size of network (ie: number of contacts) or our contacts’ willingness to refer us.  What are your thoughts on quantity vs. quality of network relationships?

Scot Herrick: You need both; it is not either/or. And depth of a relationship is not “quality” of the network relationship. The high quality of a networked relationship can simply be two responses to questions that build your credibility in the eyes of another person. I can go to a person in another country on a question about the best path for his subject and have an answer back the same day. That’s invaluable, but the entire relationship was built on less than 10 quality emails on his particular subject where both of us determined that there was credibility in the questions and the responses. I’ve never met the person face to face nor have we talked on the telephone. The entire relationship communication has been email. Most people would consider that a “weak” tie, but from a needs viewpoint for information, it is priceless.

Strong, deep interpersonal relationships are important simply for the grounding. Consistent contact with your network (not the automated LinkedIn updates, but contact YOU make with your network, even if email only) is needed to keep people informed, but much of the network will be “weak” ties.

“Our contacts’ willingness to refer us” is important, of course, but I think most of that is on us. Are we performing in the job to be recommend-able? Have we let our needs be known to our network? Are we consistently communicating and managing our network? Are we helping others in our network? If we are doing those activities and not keeping score, people will be willing to recommend you to others. If you’re not, then people won’t think of you to recommend in the first place.

I have this analogy on the size of a network: having 4,000 Twitter followers is worthless; having 500 passionate fans of your web site and message is priceless. Seth Godin talks about the importance of tribes. And he’s right; we all need a tribe to belong to or lead.

Related Resources

Tracking the Habits of Elite Networkers
Network Readiness Evaluator
Free Networking Tools

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[...] and informative interview with your founding Cubicle Warrior over at UpMo — Upward Mobility. Earn More Through Networking: An Interview with Scot Herrick. Please share this [...]

Earn More Through Networking | Cube Rules wrote on January 21, 2009 - 1:53 pm | Visit Link

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