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Top Networking Blunders for
Administrative Professionals
by
Diane Domeyer, executive director of Office Team
When it comes to finding a new position or
advancing your career, it’s no secret that the people you know can provide
valuable assistance. But even the most stable professional network can
collapse if it isn’t continually nurtured. To ensure that your base of
contacts remains strong, avoid the following mistakes:
- Going it alone. In an OfficeTeam
survey, workers said that not asking others for assistance is the top
networking mistake. There’s no excuse for failing to ask for help; people
are usually eager to lend a hand if they can.
- Losing touch. Failing to maintain
contact with professional acquaintances ranked as the second biggest
networking mistake in the same OfficeTeam survey. Arranging periodic
dinners or forwarding an e-mail to an administrative professional you know
who would find it interesting are a couple of ways to reach out to members
of your network.
- Becoming a nuisance. While it’s
important to communicate regularly with people in your network, don’t
become a pest or impose too much on their goodwill. That means
distributing your requests among your entire network. By doing so, you’ll
receive more referrals and advice, and no one in your network will feel
overburdened.
- Asking for too much. Be respectful
of other people’s time. Let your contacts know how long you anticipate it
will take to respond to your request and don’t ask for too much at once.
- Forgetting to return the favor.
Your contacts will be more motivated to assist you if you help them and
respond quickly to their needs.
- Failing to express thanks.
Politeness and sincerity go a long way when networking. Make sure to thank
anyone who takes the time to listen to your request for assistance, even
if he or she isn’t able to help. A thank-you note or e-mail will make a
positive impression that can open doors down the road.
Building and maintaining a network is a challenging endeavor, but it also
can be a fruitful and rewarding experience for any administrative
professional.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Diane Domeyer is executive
director of OfficeTeam, the nation’s leading staffing service specializing
in the temporary placement of highly skilled administrative and office
support professionals. OfficeTeam has more than 300 locations worldwide and
offers online job search services at
www.officeteam.com.
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