As a hardcore introvert, I find everything about “networking” disturbing.
The idea of going to a “networking event” to socialize and promote myself makes my throat close up.
But I’m starting to realize, like George Costanza on “Opposite Day,” that what I’ve been doing to land a job has not been working.
So I’ve been trying out new strategies, no matter how uncomfortable they make me.
Facing my fears.
My good friend, the brilliant marketing coach Ronnie Noize, sent me details of a networking strategy recently that I wanted to share with you. She calls it “karma calls.”
The idea is that you write out a long list of people: former co-workers, bosses, clients, prospects, people you attended events with, and on and on. Ronnie defines the list as “people you know, people you want to know, and people you want to know you.”
Then, every business day, you make short calls to five people on your list.
“Fair warning,” Ronnie wrote to me. “You will hate this. I do.”
Yep. She’s right. I do hate it. But I’ve been doing it. And it’s been great. It’s been getting me out of my head and facing my introvert fears.
A crucial part of this strategy, I think, is that these calls are just to check in and say hello. They are *not* about asking if people know of any opportunities. Please *don’t* do that. You are not asking for help. You are just connecting.
Another crucial point is to not substitute texts or emails for calls. Your voice on the phone, even if it’s just a voice mail they listen to later, is a big part of the magic. Several people I have called mentioned how pleased they were to hear my voice.
That’s quite a boost.
If you would like more ideas and strategies around this technique, Ronnie has allowed me to link to her PDF giving all the details. The PDF, for example, explains a genius way to call people so you are sure to leave a message, if actually talking to a real human makes you break out in hives.
As for me, because I finally got Covid after three years of dodging it, I haven’t been feeling up to much of anything over the last week. But I’m going to get back to the calls later this week.
This isn’t magic. You shouldn’t expect people to answer the phone and say, “I was just thinking about you because there’s a job you would be perfect for!”
But I’ve been pleased and surprised by the connections I’ve already made (and remade) just doing this for two weeks. Once you start making your call list, I think you will be surprised by how many people you have fallen out of touch with who you can reconnect to, and the pleasures that can come from that.
If I, as a severe introvert, can do this, then I’m confident you can, too.
If you’re feeling stuck in your job hunting efforts, as I have been, I would highly recommend you give the “five calls a day” strategy a serious effort.
If you do, please reply to this email and/or leave a comment about how it goes.
Onward and upward.
OMG, that sounds so awful, LOL! I'm a very social introvert but hate making phone calls. I'd MUCH rather write to people, unless they're close friends I talk to regularly. It does sound like a great strategy, though. Although I'd also be nervous that it would result in way more coffee dates and such than I'd want to schedule. Good for you for trying it out! Sounds like it's been worth doing.
Congratulations and THANK YOU! How thrilling to see the results of your strategy--even so early in the process. People DO love to hear from you, Adam. Well done, my friend.