Harnessing the Power of Networking

At the beginning of the summer, our industry was rocked with a wave of layoffs that impacted a wide range of industry professionals, from those early in their careers through seasoned veterans.

Watching these events unfold has been difficult to see, not as a spectator, but as someone who has experienced multiple setbacks in my own career—including getting let go due to an organizational restructure, having my income drop to zero when we all navigated the turbulence of 2020, and multiple ebbs and flows in my entrepreneurial journey, to name a few.

However, after each setback, I’ve bounced back higher every time.  Some bounce backs took longer than others, but a career slump is a blip, not a new normal, offering time to reset and rethink our priorities.

With every setback I’ve had, the power of community and networking has fueled the bounce back.  Whether you’ve had a recent setback or want to prepare for the possibility, I hope this article brings practical tips that you can use to future-proof your career.

Your employer is not your identity

Losing a job can feel like losing part of your identity. Putting your heart and soul into an organization only to have it taken away can make you feel lost.

However, regardless of what your business card says (or used to say), your personal identity is not tied to a job or company.  You are you, not your employer.

If that’s the case… who are you?  Regardless of your employment status, you should strive to be a thought leader in your area of expertise, dominating the “mindshare” of that specific domain.  Whenever somebody has a specific problem, your name should come to mind.  This is the key to building a personal brand, which extends far beyond a job title or company.

Mindshare is defined as owning a topic or niche in the minds of those around you.  When thinking about your mindshare, go beyond character traits like thoughtful, professional, kind, or empathetic, because these can be applied to any discipline, and are table stakes to anything else.  Think about the specific elements of the industry that could lead to employment or business opportunities.  This can start with your department (Marketing, Operations, Admissions, Safety, etc.), and as you align your mindshare with the subject matter, go deeper, and build content around it.

Your online presence supports your in-person presence, and vice versa

Co-hosting an industry podcast and posting on LinkedIn has resulted in people approaching me at conferences who I would have otherwise struggled to meet.  And on the flipside, attending conferences and industry events has strengthened my connections online and amplified the relationships further.

Don’t restrict your networking to only digital or in-person events, but rather use both formats to lift both simultaneously.

Use your digital presence to amplify your personal brand.  Share articles related to your mindshare, then start writing them.  You don’t need to take the persona of a content creator, but rather a subject matter expert that uses today’s tools of communication.  The barrier to entry for posting an article on LinkedIn is practically zero.

The more your name shows up connected to your personal brand, the stronger it becomes.

Your network is stronger than your resume

I recently was speaking with a young professional looking to make a career change.  She saw a job opening where the position and organization were both desirable, offering career growth without relocation.  She applied, but recognizing that it likely wouldn’t stick out compared to other applicants, she found the recruiting manager on LinkedIn.

With a quick message stating her interest in the position, she quickly separated herself from candidates that had similar or even stronger resumes, and landed an interview.

Applying for jobs can feel like a full-time job.  Navigating the complications of HR recruiting software only to hope that your application will even be acknowledged by a human is one of the most exhausting tasks.

The good news is that the industry is smaller than you may think.  You likely are only one or two degrees away from a key introduction and can skip the headaches of perpetually applying for jobs and can get you to an interview much quicker.

If your network is smaller or you are early in your career journey, you can still stand out when applying for jobs through the traditional route.  Rachel Bigham, HR Manager for Global Leisure Management, says that job seekers should “tailor your resume to each job. Make sure it reflects the key qualifications listed in the posting, even if that means revising it every time. If it lands you your dream role, it’s worth the extra effort.”

Serve first

How can you get what you want?  By giving all you’ve got.

Submit proposals to speak at events like IAAPA Expo, volunteer in the industry and the community.  Write articles related to your niche that can genuinely help others. The more you give, the more you stand out, and the more opportunities naturally circle back.

Networking is much more than shaking hands, handing out business cards, and following up with a friendly email.  Networking is about building your community of people that you can help and vice versa.  Build relationships, not just connections.  Many people are going to change jobs several times throughout their career, and by staying connected with them at the individual level, that can turn into great opportunities down the road.

Networking is playing the long game, even when it feels like there’s a sense of urgency.  What you do today will benefit you years and even decades to come.

Conclusion

You can’t get to the top without taking a few steps back every once in a while.  Setbacks usually aren’t planned events, but you can plan for how you prepare and how you react while going through them.

If you’ve had a recent setback, I hope you bounce back higher and stronger, and know that in this industry, you have an amazing community who wants you to succeed.