Think As Inc

The Networking 2×2 Matrix

July 29, 2010 on 6:14 pm | In career coaching | No Comments

Networking is the most effective way to get the job you want, to progress in the career of your dreams, and to maintain your prime position.  Most people think of networking as actively seeking out people who are relevant to their current objectives.  This should not be your only target population.  Rather, consider a 2×2 matrix (calling all consultants!):

Willing to talk to you	Relevant to your goals
	Relevant	Not Relevant
Willing	I	II
Not Willing	III	IV

People focus on “relevant” people who are “willing” to talk (quadrant I).  People also target “relevant, unwilling” people (quadrant III) and work at getting them into quadrant I.  However, most people forget about those who might not seem “relevant”, but are “willing” (quadrant II).  These people are important because they may be more relevant than you initially think (e.g., they may know some “relevant” people).  Therefore, this month’s exercise is to focus on people who are accessible to you, but who may not be obvious networking targets.

Family and friends are examples of “willing”, often quadrant II people.  But every group to which you have ever belonged is a potential source for quadrant II.  Make a list of these groups from past to present:

Grade school

High school

College

Graduate school

Race/ ethnic community

Social service group

Geographic community

Special interest and hobbies (e.g., music school, sports teams)

Remember that some groups are very tight-knit and willing to help even a stranger from the same group.  For example, one candidate moved from a PhD in biology to a venture capital job, not by networking exclusively with the VC crowd, but by networking extensively with other PhDs in biology who transitioned outside that field.  These fellow PhDs knew what this candidate was going through and wanted to help one of their own.  One of these PhDs had transitioned into banking.  He had some VC contacts, and the rest is history.  If this candidate had focused only on who was “relevant”, he may have missed this important contact.