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Networking Outside the Box
by Charles Volkert, Esq.
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Charles A. Volkert is executive director of Robert Half Legal®,
a legal staffing service specializing in the placement of attorneys, paralegals, legal administrators and other legal professionals with
law firms and corporate legal departments. Based in Menlo Park, Calif., Robert Half Legal has offices in major cities throughout the
United States and Canada.
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For many legal professionals, the exchange of business cards or contact information is a time-honored way to network. This approach is widely used because the results are immediate-whenever a new name is added, the network instantly expands. But a large collection of business cards does not necessarily make a viable, dynamic network. To create an effective professional web of contacts, try the following "outside-the-box" networking techniques.
Professional networking is similar to surfing the Internet. Just as any given website features links to other online sources, each new contact you make represents more than a single individual. Everyone has his or her own professional network with which you can potentially connect. For example, say you know a legal administrator who works for a firm specializing in employment law. Given the firm's client base, the administrator comes into regular contact with a wide variety of human resources professionals. If your own network lacks HR contacts, you could "hyperlink" by asking your acquaintance for introductions or referrals to specialists in that field.
Another excellent option is to start or join a professional networking club. These groups comprise professionals from a variety of backgrounds-law, information technology, finance, real estate and marketing, for example-who meet regularly to share news about business opportunities and expand their individual networks. In some clubs, the members take turns giving presentations about topics of interest, such as recruitment and retention strategies, business development or motivating staff. Other networking clubs require their members to bring someone new to each meeting. Whatever the specific structure of your club, make sure the members come from a variety of industries, rather than just one or two. This will allow everyone to forge new professional alliances without feeling like they're competing with others in the same field.
If you have useful information that could help others do their jobs more efficiently or successfully, you could serve as a subject matter expert for those in your network. Perhaps you recently attended a law firm management seminar at which you picked up some fresh ideas and strategies. Or you may have just mastered a new knowledge management program or created a better way to track the activities of project teams. By sharing such knowledge or news with your contacts-through an article in a professional association's newsletter or a presentation at a legal conference-you're providing a value-added service and establishing yourself as someone worth seeking out for insights and information. In the process, you will add new contacts to your professional network. Later on, those you helped may put their expertise or professional connections to work for you.
You've probably noticed that some people seem to be born "connectors." When you mention that you need to hire a new paralegal, for example, they can immediately provide you with half a dozen candidates' names. This matchmaking ability is not an inborn talent, but a skill anyone can develop. Simply be alert for opportunities to provide assistance to your contacts, and collect the type of information that will enable you to do so. For example, an acquaintance might mention that she's looking for a new job. Instead of vaguely wishing her luck, ask for details-her areas of expertise, minimum salary requirements and so forth. Later, when you're communicating with other colleagues, mention the first contact's search and ask if they know of any vacancies. Chances are someone else in your network will be able to give you a few leads that you can relay to your job-seeking acquaintance. You'll help one contact while learning more about the resources and business connections of the other members in your network-knowledge that will likely prove useful in the future.
The point of networking is to forge lasting, mutually beneficial relationships. By moving "outside the box" to increase and deepen your contacts, you'll create a rich base to draw upon whenever you need job leads, career advice, candidate referrals, hiring tips, technical assistance or management advice.
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