Professional Networking for Success
Whether you’re looking for work for the first time or the twentieth, you’re considering switching career paths or professions, or finally realizing your lifelong dream of going into business for yourself, your success may well be determined as much by whom you know as by your talents, skills, and training.
Real estate may be all about location, location, and location, but our career satisfaction and success is often all about our network, network, and network.
Accordingly, once we’ve clarified where you’re currently at during our initial session or sessions together, and you’ve taken one or more career assessments, identified your strengths and weaknesses, and have a firm grasp of your needs and goals, taking a look at how to grow, nurture, and get the most out of your personal and professional network is often the next step.
Why?
Because the people you already know and who already know you should be the first place you turn when you need help, whether that help is with finding a job, starting a business, or getting career development advice.
Identifying and Growing Your Professional Network
If the thought of marketing yourself and growing your network feels overwhelming, you’re far from alone.
Many of my clients come to me feeling they have no network at all… they may be extremely introverted or even suffer from social anxiety.
In fact, one of the reasons I started Career Therapy is to bring my years of experience helping people overcome social anxiety and other relationship issues in my counseling and psychotherapy practice to all of those who are looking to create career satisfaction and success.
If you feel like you don’t know anyone, or no one knows you, or no one wants to know you, let me assure you little could be further from the truth!
We will not only work together to identify all of the people in your network whom you haven’t been considering, but to also find ways you can quickly grow your network – both offline and online – in a manner that’s most comfortable for you.
No matter what you may think or feel today, you can learn to use websites like LinkedIn and Facebook to connect with other individuals and quickly grow your network, as well as connect with people in your local community.
Even if you’re considering relocating to a new area where you don’t know anyone, there are lots of ways you can plant the seeds of your network there long before you make the actual move.
And again, if you’re suffering from social anxiety or other relational issues that are keeping you from building the types of relationships you need to move forward in your career and in your life, I can help you learn the tools and skills to effectively cope with any symptoms you may be experiencing, as well as provide Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and other treatment solutions to help you change the way you think, feel and behave in social situations.
But, even once you’ve overcome these hurdles and have managed to effectively grow your network, you still have to put it to good use…
Getting the Most from Your Professional Networking
It may seem difficult to believe, but even natural extroverts can have difficulties when it comes to putting their networks of personal and professional contacts to good use.
Are you getting the most from your network?
Other than having a network in the first place, the key to professional networking is being clear about your objectives and goals and how best to communicate them.
Accordingly, we can and will work together to:
- Compose a message that communicates your unique values and competitive advantages;
- Create a marketing plan that helps you get that message in front of those who can help;
- Work through any concerns you might have about reaching out to prospective contacts;
- Help you master LinkedIn, both as a networking tool and to capture the attention of recruiters (after all, LinkedIn is the optimal networking tool for introverts!); and
- Make sure you feel comfortable, confident, and focused as you communicate with others, both online and in person.
The most difficult thing about networking is often being able to step outside of ourselves…
- Your work history isn’t as complicated or difficult to explain as you might think.
- You know more people who can help you achieve your goals than you may believe.
- Whatever it is about yourself that you see as a detriment either isn’t as important as you may think or can be turned to your advantage.
I can and will help you see yourself as others see you, figure out how to present yourself and your objective and goals in the best light possible, and come up with a personalized, step-by-step networking and marketing plan that takes advantage of your unique talents, skills, experience, and network.
Ready to Get Started?
I’ve been actively networking myself, as well as helping others do the same, for the better part of the past three decades, both in my work supervising career counselors at John F. Kennedy University’s Career Center and San Francisco State University’s Career Counseling and Development Center, as well as in my career counseling and career coaching practice in the San Francisco Bay.
I’ve faced no shortage of obstacles, as have many of the clients I’ve worked with… And let me assure you, if we’ve been able to effectively grow and use our networks to find and create rewarding professional lives that bring us satisfaction and joy, then you can too!
Remember, you don’t have to navigate career questions and transitions alone…
If you have additional questions about how I can help you create, nurture, and grow your network or you’re ready to really start putting your network to the best possible use to create the professional success you desire, contact me today at (510) 486-1188 or schedule a free initial phone consultation, today. I look forward to speaking with you.