The Real Value of Online Networking

Everyone's heard that getting a job is all about who you know. But is online networking really the solution? How do all those connections you make online actually help you find a job?

You probably already have hundreds, if not thousands, of connections spread across Facebook, LinkedIn and beyond. But when it comes down to it, what benefit do these connections really offer? What practical value do they add to your professional life and how do they help you to find a new career?

The short answer is: They don't, really. Yet.

Think of your list of connections as a handful of seeds. Each seed has the potential, if well-nourished, to grow into a healthy plant that bears delicious fruit. This fruit is what you’re after. Your online contacts themselves hold little value outside of their potential for growth.

So how do you grow your contacts from tiny seeds full of potential to mature relationships bearing the fruit of professional success? 

Keep in contact

Think your work is done after your contact accepts your friend request? Think again. Just like a plant, if you don’t tend to your contacts, they’ll wither away.

You need to stay in touch with people you feel hold the potential to develop into beneficial relationships. You don’t have to message them daily (if fact, too many messages might annoy them), but you also don’t want to contact them only when you need something.

Just remember: you have to give love to get love. Like one of their posts or comment on their profile every once in a while. Send insightful articles or links. this shows them you’re not only interested in them for favors.

When you’re ready, one of the most significant steps you can take in an online relationship is to offer a recommendation. This public display of confidence is a great way to engender goodwill, as it bolsters your contact’s online reputation.

These frequent, micro-contacts lay the foundation of your online relationship. The more times you pleasantly remind someone of your existence, the more favorably they’ll think of you.

Keeping up with someone regularly online is great, but if you really want to take advantage of the full potential these relationships offer, you have to go one step further.

Take it offline

This is a huge, but important milestone in any online relationship, so it’s best to take it in small steps. Your goal is to expand the scope of your relationship and people to think of you as more than just an online friend. This means getting off social networks altogether.

Start with email—just be careful not to spam their inbox—and progress to telephone conversations if all goes well. Just remember to always be purposeful in your messages. If you're messages are useful and important, people will start looking forward to them.

Gauge your contact’s reactions before trying to escalate things. Some people won’t be interested in anything more than online interaction. There’s nothing you can do about that. In these cases, it’s best just to move on and focus your time and attention on relationships with more potential.

Let’s do lunch

Ah, the business lunch: the holy grail of networking. Take someone to lunch and they’ll be putty in your hands. All of your communications should be leading up to some kind of face-to-face meeting. Whether it’s lunch, coffee or something in between, meeting someone in person gives you an unparalleled opportunity to harvest the fruits of your labor.

If you do succeed in meeting in person, it’s extremely important to follow up with that person a day or two later. I could be considered rude, or at least impolite, not call or email a message of thanks to your new friend. Especially if you've asked them for a favor. Once again, this signals your intention to continue the relationship and not just cut and run.

When it comes down to it, online networking is only the beginning. The real value of online networking is in the potential it offers to form more meaningful professional relationships. To truly take advantage of the potential that these connections offer, you have to not only maintain your online relationship, but also grow it into the real world as well. Tweets, likes and shares may brighten your day, but nothing beats the power of a good handshake.