Are you doing enough relationship building?

In our panel conversation Living in a World of Layoffs, we talked a lot about how important relationships are no matter your current situation.

When we’re talking about hiring the statistics are significant. Most say that at least 50% of roles are filled via referral, I’ve seen the statistic as high as 85%. And those who interview following referral are more likely to get the gig. Just bias? Maybe, but statistics also show that employees are likely to have a longer tenure coming from a referral vs via a job board.

So we want that referral, right?

Turns out getting a new job isn’t the only time you want to start focusing on relationships. It can be critical for success in your career. And as in life, we want different relationships for different reasons. Your manager, your skip manager/other leaders, people in related functional roles, your team, your peers, and mentors.

Your relationships can be instrumental in how you’re perceived, the opportunities and advancement you’re given, and the knowledge you gain. So when’s the best time to reach out to someone? Always. Consistently be doing two things when it comes to relationships: 1) meeting new people 2) connecting with the people you know.

And while you may be with me in theory when it comes to creating relationships a lot of people feel icky, intimidated, or other negative emotions. But here’s the thing. You undoubtedly have relationships with professionals you already know. And you probably did that without any ick. Let’s start meeting those friends we don’t know yet.

So how do you do it with the people at your company? Use opportunities throughout your day to chat, think running into people throughout the office or at the beginning of meetings. Ask to meet for coffee or lunch. Set up specific 1:1 ad hoc or recurring chats. And yes I’m going to say it, go to the happy hours or whatever social events there are. You definitely don’t have to always go to them or stay long but try to prioritize some.

And how do you do it with the people you don’t work with either because you’re cultivating contacts or you’re not currently in a role? Look for face-to-face or online meetups, alumni gatherings, industry conferences, and happy hours. Reach out to contacts you’ve met or know from previous roles. Talk to more people in your day-to-day life, you never know where you’re going to find someone who would make a great connection.

And yes reach out to people on LinkedIn. Asking for introductions is a great start. Just think of it as a skill to practice. I promise you it’s not gross. But the truth is not everyone is going to be comfortable sharing their contact so it’s important to include your objective for the inro. Never use the canned LinkedIn connect message. Be authentic and be clear. I want to pick your brain isn’t going to cut it. Something more along the lines of the following.

If you’re one of those people doing more work than the person getting ahead, it might be time to think about how to create better relationships. Grab a time to chat or send me an email.