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Create Some Networking Serendipity For Your Career

By December 4, 2019No Comments
J. Kelly Hoey – Keynote Speaker Networking Expert Author


True networking serendipity is being recommended by someone else – you know, the whisper network, having your reputation spread via “word of mouth” – it’s how you scale your networking efforts. It takes effort to create the magic of serendipity. As I note in my book:
 
This is another unsexy part about networking: consistent actions produce results more often than serendipitous encounters with a dream client on an airplane. Think sit-ups: consistency is where the networking commitment hits the road to networked success.
 
My networking serendipity came in the form of an email, and heads-up that the sender had mentioned Build Your Dream Network in a recent interview. Take a listen to the Networking At Work With Anna Maria Chavez episode of the For Future Reference podcast (not only for the Build Your Dream Network shout-out, this conversation is jam packed with career networking gems). Anna Maria Chavez is former CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA – so a mic drop moment that she would mention me.
 
A suggestion on how to manufacture some networking serendipity in your own career: take advantage of “water cooler” moments in your office, regular coffee shop or co-working space. That is, join in a conversation while you’re waiting for your tea to brew, or stop to eat lunch with colleagues. These sorts of “water-cooler moments” have been magical for entrepreneur Tina Roth Eisenberg (aka @swissmiss): Tina launched several of her businesses as a result of sharing and hashing out ideas around the lunch room table. Work from home? Well, jump into the online water-cooler. Digital can be serendipitous – so share your ideas on a twitter chat (#MillennialChat is an active community) and see what magic happens.
 
This week on the Build Your Dream Network podcast I tackle holiday parties and holiday cards and how I get around doing neither of things – rather I approach the usual networking in a way that works for me – and may just give you ideas (plus release a little networking anxiety or guilt or shame this year). 

Kelly Hoey - networking expert - keynote speaker - author - build your dream network
J. Kelly Hoey

J. Kelly Hoey is a problem solver who believes that most professional challenges—whether funding, landing a board position or getting a new job—are solved by tapping into networks.Kelly is a popular speaker on networking, community building and investing issues, especially as they relate to women, and has worked with the IEEE, PGA, Bank of America, Apple and countless others. Follow Kelly on Twitter @jkhoey and on Instagram @jkellyhoey and join the #BYDN community at www.buildyourdreamnetwork.com