Consultant John Sanders wrote a really interesting blog post a few days ago as well as posed an even more interesting question on LinkedIn. I wanted to share my answer with you as part of LinkedIn Mondays (in hindsight I really wish I had chosen a catchier name), but also because a lot of the people who answered have this “old fogie” mentality that drives me insane in the membrane. I realize times are a-changin’ and online interactions can seem less personal, but I am a huge advocate for using social media as a networking tool (obviously) and I’d like to share my little love affair with you all. So below is my answer along with the responses I created in my head when reading other people’s thoughts. I’d love to hear yours.
Question
Do you think networking has become too impersonal? I recently wrote an article on how impersonal networking has become. I don’t care if you have 20k connections on your social profile, it does not matter if your email list is uber-long… if you are just a name collector than great. But that is not networking. Networking is getting to know people professionally and personally. And it seems like a lot of people are losing that skill. What do you think?
~ John Sanders, Strategic Talent Acquisition
My answer
It doesn’t matter if you network on places like LinkedIn and Twitter or go to events – networking is what you make of it. I find there are two kinds of networkers:
- Those who fling the proverbial business card in your face. You can do this over a punch bowl at a crappy hotel or on Twitter by always shouting ME ME ME ME.
- Those who try and make a real connection whether it’s over a love of dogs at a park or engaging them online. These people care about what they can do for you rather than the other way around. They let their professional relationships grow organically.
You can be either one of these people online or in person because ultimately it’s not the method that makes networking impersonal, but the person themselves.
This is how I network.
I realize John wasn’t necessarily talking about social media, but since that’s how many people are networking nowadays, I’m gonna steer the conversation in that direction. John wrote on his blog, “Do you feel that networking has gotten too impersonal with all the technology currently replacing a good old handshake and lunch?” Um. No, no I don’t. In fact, I think networking has gotten more personal because we’re able to easily connect with people outside of our usual circle. And just because the method has changed doesn’t mean you need to get your panties in a bunch. (Keep in mind, I had a brief email exchange with John and he is a lovely man. My annoyance is in NO WAY directed at him because he’s super sweet, but towards people resistant to change and unable to see the good things like Twitter networking can bring us.)
I, for one, love networking online. I’m naturally shy in groups and am one of those people at big events who hides in a corner pretending to “make a call.” However, I also love interacting with people, I just don’t think I make the greatest first impression. Networking online has been hugely successful for me and I know I can help people out as well.
One commenter on LinkedIn hinted at today’s networkers lacking “substance.”
Another said, “I would guess that the younger the person, the more disconnected they are with those they network with, and the older the person, the more appreciation they have for those in their sphere of influence.”
Watch your mouth, boy! I’m 22 (23 on Wednesday, woot woot!) and I’d consider myself pretty connected to the people I network with professionally. I don’t “collect” names or followers. I loved the response from Clare Webster: “Older generations are certainly more personal when it comes to networking outside the web, but as for social media, younger generations were the first to use that media for connecting to friends and have had a taste of that personal use before they ever used it for professional purposes.”
A response I did like, from Vanessa Rottaris: “It is all about learning who people are and being genuinely interested in them.”
I guess it’s a personal decision how you choose to network, but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter what method you use, but how you use it.
