Quality Trumps Quantity for IT Professionals When Networking

The more business acquaintances you have, the merrier you might be.  But the quality of those contacts has a bigger impact on your career success. According to a new Robert Half Technology survey of information technology (IT) professionals, sixty-three percent of IT workers rated the quality of their professional network as “very important” to their overall career success, compared to 46 percent who felt the same way about the size of their network.  When it comes to making new connections, 44 percent of IT professionals surveyed prefer to network online and 22 percent favor doing it in person.

Knowing someone professionally and being willing to go to bat for that person are two different things.  You may have hundreds of LinkedIn connections, but if the relationship is superficial, your contacts may not be very helpful when you are seeking professional advice or assistance with a job search.  Quality connections take time to establish, but they are a valuable career resource, whether someone is just starting out or has many years of experience. 

Here are five pitfalls to avoid when networking:

1. Losing Touch. Keep the lines of communication open by offering a note of congratulations to a contact who was recently promoted or asking to meet for lunch.  Set aside time each week for these types of networking activities.
2. Exhausting your resources. Most people are happy to help on occasion, but avoid overburdening one contact with repeated requests. Broaden your efforts and tap others in your network if you are having trouble overcoming a particular career challenge.
3. Forgetting your p’s and q’s. A little gratitude can go a long way towards maintaining positive relationships. Always show appreciation to those who act on your behalf, even if their efforts don’t result in the desired outcome.
4. Taking a generalist approach. Instead of sending a mass email to everyone in your network asking for assistance, try customized, targeted messages to specific contacts.
5. Failing to return the favor. Networking is a two-way street. Look for opportunities to help your contacts whenever possible, and you’ll find that others are happy to do the same for you.