Since my three-year run of steady work editing video as a subcontractor ended, the road to new opportunities has been hard to navigate. I know networking is a necessity to create the connections that will lead to new clients, but being away from that world for a while mixed with past negative experiences and disappointing results has made me hesitant to move forward.
So I looked to the internet for guidance, flooded my download folder with pdf after pdf of “free” resources of which half I never opened, while the others teased answers that will only be fully explained if you buy the course or book a call.
Some sound advice from a few podcasts is that you must put in the work to get connections. You can’t expect results in a vacuum with an inactive profile waiting to be “discovered.” This very direct and impactful line from Entrepreneur/Internet Celebrity Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary-Vee) says it all with regards your presence online:
This means posting, commenting, or giving advice in a group or forum and doing it consistently. When you establish yourself as knowledgeable in what you do publicly, you will be sought out for your expertise to solve a problem facing a business.
I’ve been passive on LinkedIn and Alignable for a long time and just started getting more involved with Alignable. Their Smart Connect events have virtual networking in multiple breakout rooms which sounds interesting, but I haven’t engaged in them yet. They have Alliances all over the country for in person networking which I did become involved with, and it’s been positive so far. I connected with someone starting his own networking and collaboration platform for musicians and artists of all disciplines set to launch soon. I’m looking forward to the networking possibilities there and will keep you updated on my progress in both places.
It’s hard to shake the memories of negative networking experiences and the bad impression those thoughts create. Finding the right groups and platforms online and in-person takes time and patience. Anything worthwhile does and usually leads to positive results. According to HubSpot, 85% of jobs are filled through networking. LinkedIn found 80% of professionals consider networking vital to career success.
Shifting your thinking towards these impressions will help create a better attitude as you build up your presence to BE SEEN AND HEARD.