Linking online

Networking is no longer limited to face-to face interaction at receptions, conferences, or community meetings. Many online sites specialize in providing professional networking opportunities for business people. These sites have both free memberships and fee-based memberships that offer more access. Online networking should be part of your overall networking strategy. Face-to-face and online networking complement each other; you should do both simultaneously.{{more}} The service is rather simple. Thousands of people sign up with an online networking service. Depending on the chosen level of membership, members get access to the other members. Visit the following online networking sites and explore them to get familiar with the process.

www.Linkedin.com
www.Ryze.com
www.networkingforprofessionals.com

As a rule, you must be invited into someone’s network. When you get an invitation,you have the option of accepting the invitation or rejecting it. To navigate this process here are a few tips:

What your invitation means. Before you send out an invitation make sure the invitation is going to a person you know and who knows you. This will increase your chances of having your invitation accepted. Your invitation is basically stating that you trust the invitee enough to share information about people in your database and you would feel comfortable recommending him or her to your colleagues.

Make it personal. How do feel when you get a form letter? You have the option to personalize the invitation you send out to other potential networkers. By all means make it short and personal. If you think someone may have forgotten you or you want to jog the person’s memory, offer a few hints about how you know each other.

Before you say yes. Getting an invitation to join someone’s network may seem like a good thing, but that depends on who it is and how you feel about that person. If you don’t know, like, or trust the person, do not hit the yes button.

Say “no, thanks graciously.” Some invitations that come across your desk will make you want to run in the other direction. When that happens, first make sure that you have not overlooked any possibility that you really do know this person. If you are sure you don’t know the person, decline the invitation.

Safety in numbers. If you were to make a cold call to a member of your alma mater, chances are that person will also reach out to you once you mention your common connection. Adopt the same policy online. Join networking groups where the people in the group all share a common experience like an affiliation with an organization.

Writing a recommendation. If a colleague asks you for a recommendation for his online profile, be honest. Do not fabricate a job experience, a title, or a company to make your friend look great.

Karen Hinds -President/CEO–Workplace Success Group
Toll Free:1-877-902-2775;Tel: 1-203-757-4103
Karen@WorkplaceSuccess.com
www.WorkplaceSuccess.com
Creator of The Workplace Success Program(TM)