HUSTLE TIME!
Click and connect with those in power
We’ve all heard the adage that it’s not what you know but who you know when it comes to getting ahead. But today how you get to know those ‘in the know’ is even more crucial to securing your future. Making a good impression on the right person can make all the difference. Want to be sure you don’t get caught in a game of business-card Top Trumps over warm Chardonnay? Throw out the old rules of working a room, and try this lot on for size.
OLD RULE
INVITE SOMEONE TO LUNCH
NEW RULE
OFFER TO DROP BY – AND BRING THE COFFEE
The first rule of charming your way to the top? Make it as easy as possible for the person you want to speak to. “Ask if you can come to them,” suggests Rachel Sklar, co-founder of TheLi.st, a network for professional women. “It’s good business to be efficient and considerate. Ask if you can grab a coffee or another drink for you both on your way in.” If you’re lucky enough to secure a meeting, follow up with a thank-you card. In a digital-led world, cards are rare and, if it’s very pretty, it will stay on their desk, serving as a reminder of who you are. Then it’s about remaining in their mind: commenting on their
pictures, replying to tweets – but keep it relevant and only get in touch when you have something to actually say.
OLD RULE
SEND AN UNSOLICITED EMAIL
NEW RULE
GO DIRECT TO SOURCE
Once upon a time, you’d quiveringly call the assistant to your OYPA (Object of Your Professional Affections), get their email and shoot a message into the bowels of their overflowing inbox. Now? Contact them on social media. But do your research – which platform do they engage with most? Pick one they use, but have less followers on – they’re more likely to see your message. Feeling brave? Get in touch publicly – comment on a picture, or tweet them. Nobody wants to look rude on a public forum, so it may incite a reply. If not, contact them once more on the same platform two weeks later. Then stop. Stalking: not a good look.
OLD RULE
GET FRIENDLY WITH THE HR TEAM
NEW RULE
BEFRIEND THE BOSS’S ASSISTANT
You know those hello@ and admin@ email addresses? They’re rarely checked. And if they are, your introduction email will likely be lost among the inevitable junk mail. Now it’s all about getting your skills noticed not by HR, or the boss, but the person nearest them: their assistant, or the person already learning from them – the intern. If you’re at an event held by the company (visit their Twitter page for details of public events – ours are @HearstLiveUK), don’t spend all your time sharking for the top dog – befriend the juniors. Or approach them via social media (unless you’ve already sent a nice card…), asking if you can treat them to coffee to find out what they’ve learned from working for your dream company. The key? Never make it look like you want their job. The aim is for them to keep you abreast of new roles or mention you to those higher up. That won’t happen if they see you as competition.
OLD RULE
ASK TO PICK A BIGWIG’S BRAIN
NEW RULE
ASK FOR A MICRO MEETING
The worst three words you can say to potential employers? No, not, “I love ketamine”, but “pick your brain”. Why? Because the person on the receiving end has no idea how much of their time you need. Instead, be specific. Make an initial connection, then request a 10-minute meeting, stating up to two things you’d like to find out. For example, if you’re trying to open a small business and know she has experience in doing so, you could say,“I’d like to ask you about the essential elements of a business plan. Do you have time to discuss this?” Having a goal for the chat gives you a better shot at landing the meeting.