Leads are just leads until you bring them to life. Every networking session should end with, “Who else should I meet?” and, “Is there anything else I should be doing, or doing differently?” I was asked on many occasions during the job-seeking process if I knew a particular person. If the answer was “yes,” I would set up an appointment with them. If the answer was “no,” I asked if we could be introduced. Most times, I didn’t try to keep it to a single business area or even try to determine how close the connection was—it didn’t matter. What was important was that leads were being offered and it became my responsibility to do something with them. We have an opportunity to go beyond our immediate friends and past colleagues to tap friends of friends, long-lost relatives, and every other person who comes across our radar screen. If you have a lead, take advantage and send out requests to network. The ability to ask questions and find ways to connect the dots of your growing web of a network can be intriguing and fun. You might surprise yourself at how fruitful it is to be curious and pull that string all the way through.
Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):
- Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
- Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
- Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
- The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
- From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
- The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood
See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com