Networking Follow-Ups
Aditi Ramchandani asks Jasbina Ahluwalia: It’s funny how that happens. I’ve seen it happen before. Thanks for clarifying that.
After they meet the senior executive, people usually want to foster that relationship and turn it into something more long term, whether it becomes a mentorship or a contact.
Do you have advice on what to do after the networking event in terms of how to follow up with the senior executive to foster that relationship?
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You want to recognize that, hopefully, this interaction will not be the only interaction.
Working to foster the relationship is a great idea.
Networking Follow-Ups: Add Value
Consider how you can add value to the executive.
When it comes to investing time, executives often consider whether you can extend their network or provide valuable contacts for them.
To the extent that you can, that would be really helpful.
Networking Follow-Ups: Develop Awareness
Seek to develop an awareness of the key issues and interests of the executive with whom you’d like to build a relationship.
Again, some of that is available via Google. You can be a source of insight and information for them.
Networking Follow-Ups: Show Interest
Let’s say that you’re reading The Economist and you notice something about a particular region of the world that the senior executive is interested in.
Send them an article of interest that you come across. Don’t worry that he or she has probably already seen it. It shows someone that you remembered and took notice.
That’s flattering for anyone. Senior executives are people, too. They’re not different in that sense.
Networking Follow-Ups: Have a Point of View
Be willing to have a point of view on something.
Sometimes people feel that they need to be bland, vanilla and non-controversial.
Executives tend to respect people who are confident, as we all do. You want to be confident expressing your well thought out perspective.
Networking Follow-Ups: Assistant Relationship
There is one more thing to keep in mind. This is golden.
It is the importance of the senior executive’s assistant. These people influence their boss’s calendar and how you’re perceived by the boss.
Some bosses give their assistants power over who gets into their calendar and when.
You don’t want to be calendared out months later.
They also influence who gets hired.
There are many executives who give this kind of veto power to their assistants.
Keep that in mind as you interact, not only with the senior executives but the support personnel that are supporting that senior executive.
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Tell Us:
Have you been successful in networking follow-ups? Share your success stories with us below in the comments section.
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The above is an excerpt from Aditi’s interview with Jasbina Ahluwalia.
The entire interview transcript is at: Jasbina Ahluwalia NetIP (Network of Indian Professionals) Interview – How to Network in Any Setting
Listen to the entire interview on: Intersections Match Talk Radio – Jasbina’s Lifestyle Show
Listen to the entire interview on Blog Talk Radio: NetIP Spotlight- Live Your Potential Listen to the entire interview on iTunes _____
