Coaching with NLP For Dummies®

Recognising the Power of Networks to Support Growth

The very thought of networking sends some clients into a panic: people love to network or hate it. Networks play an important part in managing careers, especially at key transition points. When people with work opportunities to offer are looking for someone good, they naturally defer to their network of trusted advisors. Candidates with strong networks find opportunities come to them when they least expect it, and they're also in a good place to ask for help when they need it.

Luckily for more introverted clients, online networking is extremely powerful. Those who struggle with meeting people in a crowd can strike up virtual conversations and reach a much larger audience than is possible face to face. In fact, the whole idea of networking has changed enormously in the last ten to twenty years; it used to be about attending formal cocktail parties and dinners where you wanted to be seen to look good and made small talk with useful contacts. Today, you still need to be professional and prepared, but connecting with like-minded people across a greater area is much easier. Phew, thank goodness networking has moved on!

Connecting online

The world of online communities and social media – from blogging to joining groups such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook – is familiar for some and scary for others, depending on your client's age ...