You got the job? Great! Now, don’t forget your network!

It’s been a really good week. Several clients have gotten job interviews and one got an offer! Often, when a client gets a job, they step away from coaching. Of course, I am not one to completely disconnect and I will follow up with them to see how things are going on a periodic basis. There are a few reasons why I do this.

First and foremost, I care deeply about my clients, whether or not they are a current or former client. Second, I like to learn about what they are doing professionally and how the transition into their new situation is progressing. Third, I want my clients to know that I am always on their team, regardless of the current status of our professional relationship.  Does that make sense?

I hope it does to you, because this is how you ought to behave with your own network no matter where you are in your career process. Networking is not a one-way street. Too often, people secure a position and lose contact with a significant portion of the network that helped them get to that role. In the current job market, it is even more important than ever to stay connected to your network. Here’s one  example of what I am talking about:

A former client recently contacted me after he had been in his new job for six months. He wanted to return to coaching in order to address some unexpected and challenging dynamics that had come up at work. We discussed several strategies he could employ to address the issues and yet, we acknowledged that while he could make changes in the way he was performing, it was not clear what kind of response he would receive as a result. I encouraged him to try these new approaches while also making sure he was staying connected to the rich, resourceful professional network he built during his job search.

Given the volatile job market we live in today, it is essential to stay connected to most of the people you know who may be helpful resources to you down the road, should your situation change. Since we know change is the only constant, he could also be on the receiving end of requests from his network to provide resources and advice as well.

I suggested that he try to see at least one of his networking contacts each week for lunch. He was a bit resistant to that idea as he felt it would take too much time away from his current job to get out of the office and meet someone that often. So we looked at his list and identified a few key people he would like to speak with soon and created a workable plan and approach for re-connecting with his network.

I will continue to update you on how things are going and can already report to you that he is feeling much better about how he is handling several situations at work. His positive experience is feeding right into his ability to connect with his network and keep those relationships fresh and professionally nurturing.

What are you doing to keep your network fresh?  Send me your experiences or questions about this and we will continue the conversation.

All my best,
Tammy