As a career management consultant, I spend a considerable amount of time conducting seminars and coaching people on networking. Among the key points I make are: approach networking as relationship building, establish a rationale for the connection, show genuine interest in the other person, and communicate how you can be relevant and valuable for each other. I also make people aware that these principles become even more powerful when they develop great clarity about their personal brand.
For me, these fundamentals apply not only in building professional relationships but in building relationships in all other parts of one’s life.
So, imagine my reaction when, out of the blue, someone who I don’t know adds me as a Facebook friend and fails to say why. Call it the New Yorker in me, but when someone approaches me out of nowhere, it’s a red flag that says, “walk away.” Yet, on Facebook, I will give a person the benefit of the doubt and look at their profile -- and even google them -- to see what we might have in common and how we might establish a beneficial relationship. When I find little or no information (or information that suggests a hidden agenda), it’s awkward. Okay, this may seem harsh, but the question is: why would I want to open up the details of my personal and professional life to some one I can’t be clear about?
Certainly, there is no shortage of material on Facebook etiquette. Yet, I think it comes down to this: as in life, so on Facebook. By following the rules for successful networking, you make it easier and more attractive to connect.
Cross-posted at The Personal Branding Blog
Comments