Sometimes success is all about who you know – which is why, in recent years, professional networking has taken off in a huge way.
It’s been recognised that the best way to get ahead in your industry is to get your name out there in front of prospective employers, industry peers and even competitors, and now a number of networking groups and online networking sites have sprung up to meet these demands.
In Edinburgh there are a huge number of local networking groups to choose from, as well as the option of joining international networking sites like LinkedIn and Kiltr and using social networking sites (Twitter, Facebook, etc) for professional purposes. But with so much choice on offer, it can be hard to know where it’s best to concentrate your energy. Both face-to-face and online networking requires a degree of effort, but which of these is most effective in forging meaningful connections?
‘Professional networking is very important,’ says Fiona Nicolson, the founder of No Excuses Networking in Edinburgh. ‘But it’s not enough anymore to promote yourself through traditional and digital marketing channels – you have to get your face known too.’ No Excuses meets once a month for an informal drink and a chat, and this, says Fiona, is the key to networking. ‘Meeting people face-to-face is sociable. It’s much more enjoyable to meet people in person and have a conversation with them over a drink than just to interact online. You will find out not just what they do for a living, but more about who they are as a person, and that makes everyone seem more ‘real’ and can help build trust.’
Fiona is also a big fan of online networking, although she believes that it is more effective when combined with the traditional, face-to-face variety. ‘The limitation of online networking is that you can’t pick up vital communication clues,’ she says. ‘In a networking situation it’s helpful to be able to see someone’s facial expressions and hear their tone of voice to help identify their level of interest in the conversation.’
Robin Mehta, Managing Director of online company Technology Consult, agrees. ‘Social media will never replace meeting people,’ he says. ‘Forging relationships in the real world is just as important as ever, but what online networking can do is complement these relationships and help you position yourself and your brand correctly.’ Robin is passionate about online networking, and believes it to be a valuable tool for individuals and businesses alike. His company, Technology Consult, actively engages in online networking, and uses each of the different online tools for a specific purpose. ‘LinkedIn acts as an online CV and gives us a chance to display our proficiency to prospective clients; Facebook is a great tool to spread knowledge to people who ‘like’ us; and Twitter is used to communicate more with other companies and organisations in our sector.’
William Hunter, a Senior Partner at wealth management company St. James’s Place, uses online networking for forging and maintaining professional connections. ‘I use LinkedIn to get my name out in front of people, to join groups of like-minded professionals and to get involved in discussions.’ He says that the best thing about being a member of the website is the access to other people’s connections, which has presented him with people and opportunities that he would not have found otherwise. But surely his LinkedIn connections consist of people that he has met in real life? ‘About 95% of my connections are people I’ve met,’ he says. ‘But if I end up doing business with someone from LinkedIn I will always go on to meet with them in the flesh – standing around with a glass of wine and having a chat makes people a bit less guarded.’
Both face-to-face and online networking have their own distinct strengths and limitations; networking in person encourages people to get to know the real you, but unless you do it regularly you may be easily forgotten. And online networking is good for forging new connections, but not so good for nurturing these and helping them grow into meaningful professional relationships. It seems that if you’re serious about networking then the best way to get your name out in your industry – and ensure that it remains there – is a clever mixture of both. Face-to-face networking allows you to connect to others on a human level, to really let your personality and your intentions shine through, and this can be supplemented by engaging with your new connections online, to promote discussion, offer advice, and generally to remind them of your existence (and your professional skills).
So if you’re looking to get ahead in your career, get yourself out there – both in the ‘real world’ and online. As Fiona Nicolson says: ‘If you don’t do it, you can be sure your competition will.’
