Why traditional networking is outdated. Eighty percent of people say that traditional networking and building relationships are crucial to their success and more than 95% of professionals say that face-to-face meetings are necessary for business. During the pandemic, face-to-face networking moved online and for many of us, it was a chance to dodge those very awkward and uncomfortable events where you end up sitting with the one person there you know and then clinging on to them for dear life. However, if done well, networking is nearly 50% more likely to find you a job.
As the founder of Diverse Talent Networks, I have a vested interest in getting networking right for everyone. Traditional networking is not as inclusive or diverse as it could be. Within many of our professional services industries the practices of Equity Diversity and inclusion still remain somewhat of a tick-box exercise and networking events can highlight cultures of cronyism. This is highlighted in the report that DTN produced this month in collaboration with global law firm BCLP. The report specifically highlighted the retention and job progression of people of South Asian heritage in the legal sector. It found that at partner level there was a 50% underrepresentation of those of South Asian heritage. In our research, we delved deeper into the reasons behind this and our findings make for uncomfortable reading.
Many of those surveyed said there was an ethnic dimension to networking events which many did not feel comfortable with. They cited alcohol as a key feature of networking and said that it provided a significant barrier for a group where 88% identify with a religious affiliation that precludes the consumption of alcohol. One respondent even told of being jokingly labelled a terrorist or sleeper agent and also said that he reported facing pressure to compromise his dietary laws and pivotal aspects of his faith during social gatherings with colleagues or clients. These traditional ways of networking may not be as helpful as we think, certainly not if you come from a diverse background.
We know that recruitment processes are impersonal and it seems our traditional networking processes may also be. For today’s talent, they want to understand the culture and leadership style of their potential employers and traditional methods may be failing to provide these insights. At DTN and having worked in the recruitment sector for over 25 years I know that we need to tackle networking within the zeitgeist. We need to take it away from the pub and also not wait to start networking until we need a job. We should be building relationships with the right people all the time. So how do you do it?
The key is to do your research and be strategic. Get involved with online networking groups of course but also look at companies where the culture looks right for you or you like what they are doing. Then look for the people within the organisation who you think can help you or might be interested in talking to you. Do your research and then approach them online at first. Eventually, you work up to meeting in person or on Zoom for a chat and so on. With networking, it is important to slowly build relationships based on trust and mutual interest. To wait until you need a job or the company is actively recruiting is foolish. Build an organic relationship which doesn’t have that extra layer of need or want. Ultimately you will have more luck in securing the best opportunities in the future.
My message to business owners and leaders is this, Inclusion is not a new topic, but it has become a priority for many organisations. From a business perspective, inclusion makes good sense. A diverse and inclusive workforce is proven to be more innovative and make better decisions. However, there are too many statements of good intentions with no action to back them up. Leaders say they want to be more diverse and inclusive, but their actions don’t reflect that commitment. It is important that leaders look at how they network and find their talent because just doing it via traditional channels means you are missing out on the top talent for your business and that clearly puts you at a disadvantage.
