Tips & Tricks

Follow my ten networking rules:

1. Networking is the way to the goal – not an the goal in itself
2. Communicate clearly and honestly
3. Listen and ask deeper in
4. Exercise tact
5. Live the relevance criterion
6. Customize your contact form
7. Be aware of any industry codes of practice
8. Remember to give
9. Be good to welcome and say “thank you”
10. Remember, nurse your network – even when you are busy

More tips & tricks:

1. When you map your network, remember; ”Your network contains all your personal relations both the close and peripheral, the old and the new”.
2. A good networker is a person who understands both to share his knowledge, experience and contacts and also is good at receiving and asking for help.
3. There are a lot of formal networks. Choose those where you can both contribute and gain – not nessecerely one-to-one but at a long term perspective. Match also your choice after your life situation and interests and exit again, if you ”grow out” of the network.
4. In principle you can have an infinitely large network! Follow my Criterion of Relevance – remembering that your network contains your friends but not all your network contacts are friends. You nurse your network by communicating that you are available if they need your knowledge, contacts etc end that you expect the same the other way around.
5. It’s ok to use others time and that others expect you to do so as well. If we are asked politely and have the time, most people will help each other. Psychologically, you acknowledge other people by asking them about their knowledge and contacts.

Networking is about three things – to use your own personal network, to use / participate in formal networks and participate in activities where you can network, such as conferences, seminars, meetings, social gatherings, etc..
When you choose what activities you participate in, choose not only from the content. Many tend to look only at whether the academic content is relevant to them. Here I recommend you to a far greater extent to choose from whether participants are interesting for you – the context.

You can network anywhere and keep in mind that when you are at social gatherings, it’s about creating contacts and then you network later. Do not destroy a pleasant evening for others with hour-long talk about your job search/business proposal etc. – it may mean that you do not get network contact.

When you participate in conferences, seminars, etc., talk to people who do not look like you. People who are different than us, often knows other things and circulate in other networking circles.

Always ask the other for his business card. You obviously also have a business card yourself (even if you do not have a job currently.), But it works best to ask about the other cards first.