How to make time for networking -- Career Center Blog

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May 14, 2010

How to make time for networking

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By Michelle Goodman
NWjobs

You've undoubtedly heard it said hundreds of times: the more people you meet in your field, the better it is for your career, whether you're looking for a new position, running your own business, or hoping to cushion yourself against a potential layoff.

[Photo courtesy of blmurch]

But finding the time -- and the motivation -- to meet and greet your fellow professionals can be easier said than done. After all, in addition to working, you have to unwind, spend time with family and friends, do your laundry, run errands, and sleep.

Work It, Mom! co-founder Nataly Kogan, who's both an entrepreneur and a mom, wrote a great blog post earlier this month on how she fits networking into her busy schedule. Among her excellent suggestions:

Meet colleagues for breakfast. That way, you still get home from work at a reasonable hour.
Devote one night a week to schmoozing. Or, if that's too often, save a night a month for rubbing elbows with your fellow professionals.
Leave work early, stop at home, then head back out after dinner. If you're a parent, this allows you to spend time with your little ones before they hit the hay.

Of course, one networking strategy does not fit all. Take me, a childfree gal who can't make a breakfast meeting to save her life and is too much of a commitmentphobe to devote a night a week to anything other than her favorite TV show.

But like Kogan, I do make the time to network throughout the month. As a freelance writer, I work in isolation. So swapping tips and war stories with my fellow freelancers is a must. Besides, I'm constantly on the lookout for my next big gig, which means staying connected with my existing contacts and growing my virtual Rolodex so that my business doesn't stagnate.

To squeeze networking into my own jam-packed schedule, I do the following:

Volunteer to help with a recurring event. Despite my desire to hobnob with other folks in my field, I sometimes have a hard time tearing myself away from the computer. To ensure I do, I co-host the bimonthly cocktail parties thrown by mediabistro.com for Seattle-area media professionals. Since I'm hosting the event, I have to show up.
Attend professional conferences. A good conference can be infinitely more inspiring than a couple hours spent venting about your latest career fiasco at your local watering hole. As an added bonus, the conference speakers and workshops offer you a built-in icebreaker you can use on other attendees.
Schmooze online. There's no law that says networking always has to happen in person. Thanks to sites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, I've "met" freelancers and potential clients from all over the country.

How about you? If networking is an integral part of your own professional development, when and how do you make time for it?

Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide." E-mail Michelle at mgoodman@nwjobs.com