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Networking makes business world
go 'round (and 'round)

According to Joan Toth, executive director of the Network of Executive Women, networking isn’t just an important part of business, “it’s how everything in business gets done.”

“Forget six degrees of separation,” NEW says. “If you’re average and you know 250 people, and each of them knows 250 people, you’re just one step away from 62,500 people. That’s a huge resource for you and your business.”

The Network of Executive Women with more than 1,500 members is one of dozens of professional and industry organizations you can utilize to enlarge your networks. CPGjoblist, for example, is a member of the Black MBA Association and the Society of Hispanic MBAs, as well as the Network of Executive Women (NEW).

“Membership in these organizations helps us connect with a wide range of individuals both inside and outside the CPG industry,” says CPGjoblist president Michael Carrillo. “They can help you diversify your individual recruiting efforts by introducing you to a whole new group of people and then all the people that they know.”

Networking is an informal way of getting to know people,” Toth says. “It’s not about short-term gain or ‘working a room.’ It’s about building long-term mutually beneficial relationships with people who share your interests or concerns. It’s advertising, but much more targeted and trustworthy.”

Opportunities abound

“Before we started our effort in northwest Arkansas," Toth says, "there were literally hundreds of people in the business in the region who did not know each other. Our events help people with similar backgrounds and goals find each other.”

Networking is what NEW is all about. Hundreds of its members network at the group’s regional events in northwest Arkansas, Portland, Ore., Boston, Mass., Dallas, Tex., and metro New York. More than three hundred are expected to attend the Network’s Annual Leadership Summit, September 26-27 in Atlanta (Michael Carrillo, Penny Carrillo-Sallberg and Tami Page will represent CPGjoblist and its clients at this year’s NEW Summit).

“We go to events like the NEW Summit because it allows us to see and be seen,” Carrillo says. “Attendance at these events expands our contacts exponentially. We don’t just reach the people we meet, we impact the entire networks of each of these individuals.”

The National Society of Hispanic MBAs is “another group that’s perfect for us,” Carrillo says. The Society’s National Conference and Career Expo, Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 in Anaheim, Calif., provides a forum for HR professionals to diversify their recruiting. Michael Carrillo and Tami Page from CPGjoblist wouldn’t miss it. “People talk about management diversity. This Expo is an opportunity to make actual progress,” Carrillo says.

According to Ana Herrera-Malone, the Society’s marketing and development director, more than six thousand people are expected to attend this year’s conference. She describes the event as “one of the largest gatherings of Hispanic professionals in the country. It offers access to Hispanic talent, opportunities to network, and best practices on how to recruit and retain executives.”

Practical suggestions

If you are attending one of these events or just want to expand your networking activities from home base veteran networkers offer a number of suggestions to help you get the most from your networking efforts:

Don’t be shortsighted. Focus on long-term relationships instead of short-term results. It will pay off in the end.

Be selective. When time is limited concentrate on quality instead of quantity. “It’s more productive to spend five minutes with ten well-chosen individuals than one minute with fifty."

Be seen. Join associations and online communities, send letters to the editor, ask questions at seminars, sit on panels, volunteer for committees and contribute to charities.

Shoot for the stars. Everyone knows some people, but some people seem to know everyone. Friends like these can accelerate your networking.

Rekindle old relationships. Your old address book is a treasure- trove of people who are predisposed to do business with you.

Lend a hand. Know someone out of work? Someone who’s looking for a vendor? Help out with a recommendation or referral. You’ll enrich two relationships at once.

Follow up. Don’t wait until next week to follow up on a contact. Follow through as soon as you get back to the office or immediately after your phone call or email. It shows you’re engaged, responsible and serious.

Perhaps the most important networking skill is the one that some people find the hardest, Carrillo says. “Just be genuine. Don’t perform, don’t put on a dog-and-pony show. Be informative and prepared, but most important be yourself,” he says.

According to Carrillo, “Saying you ‘know too many people’ is like saying you have too much business. It’s shortsighted, because you always earn back what you put into your relationships with interest. The bottom line is, take care of your networks and they will take care of you.”

Michael Carrillo is president of CPGjoblist, the CPG industry’s leading candidate referral system for HR professionals and employers. You may contact him at Michael@cpgjoblist.com or call (626) 398-5381.

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