Praise for the first edition of The Networking Survival Guide
"Any way you look at it, other people are your greatest resource. Diane Darling's in-depth, easy-to-follow instructions will fill your life with opportunities to meet these people and reap the rewards." Nicholas Boothman, author of How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less and How to Connect in Business in 90 Seconds or Less
Network your way to the highest levels of success!
No matter how smart and talented you are, you need the help of others to reach your true potential. Solid connections with the right people are just as important as being good at what you do.
This fully revised edition of The Networking Survival Guide reveals tried and- true networking tactics, as well as new ways to harness the extraordinary influence of social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. It teaches you how to:
Identify and develop mutually beneficial relationships Create a strategy so your network is in place before you need it Succeed at networking even if you're an introvert Use the proper etiquette in any situation Turn conversations into opportunities Become a resource for fellow networkers
I heard about it in a review on National Public Radio. After I read it, I spoke on the phone with author about a possible speaking engagement but I never completed putting this action together. Perhaps I will try again in a anew organization. I liked the book fairly well and I think it is definitely useful if you are moving up.
A practical guide to creating, sustaining, and benefiting from a network, this non-fiction book by Diane Darling is one of the quickest introductions to networking backed by anecdotes and social principles.
What surprised me the most about reading The Networking Survival Guide is how succinct the content is.
There’s no fluff, no beating around the bushes. The author gets to the point quickly. In fact, most of the sections are full of bullet points.
While I hadn’t given networking much thought prior to this, I picked up the audiobook on Storytel to see how it could improve my professional life. And I must say that Diane Darling shares some great advice.
There were a couple of chapters that I felt warranted a bit more of an explanation. And some that had information which may no longer be as relevant in today’s professional sphere. But to be fair, I read the 2nd edition of the book which was published a few years ago.
Some topics that you can expect to read about are conducting network inventories, mannerisms, providing value to your connections, seeking referrals, navigating events, creating networking assets/ collaterals, and so on.
I’d say this was a great first book to read about networking.
I most definitely intend to get an ebook copy, so I can make notes and re-read this a bunch of times, and implement the actionable tips Diane Darling shares.
Diane Darling, Founder and CEO of Effective Networking, Inc., wrote "The Networking Survival Guide" for publication in 2003, before the advent of Twitter, LinkedIn, and social media as we know it. Which is why I like and recommend the book, because it is old-school.
Darling teaches, and pre-supposes, that the purpose of networking is to develop, strengthen, and maintain real one-on-one relationships with real people; ideally face-to-face, but when that is not practical, then one-on-one by phone and/or email.
Darling teaches: - Have a plan (know what you want to accomplish when attending a networking event) - Work your plan (prepare, prepare, prepare - leave nothing to chance) - What to do, and what to avoid, at a networking event - The all-important follow-up to maintain your network - Where to network (networking events, job fairs, anywhere there is a second person!) - How to network when you don’t feel like networking
There is a brief discussion, which Darling ultimately dismisses, about using Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs; anyone remember the Palm Pilot?). Otherwise, everything in the book is face-to-face, handshakes (dry palms), business cards, and if necessary, telephone. Old School.
Oddly, Darling felt compelled to include a chapter (two paragraphs) warning against "evil networks," such as al Qaeda and religious cults. This seemed very out of place in a business book.
It’s not as if Darling doesn’t understand LinkedIn. There is a Second Edition, published in 2010, with 40+ additional pages. I haven’t read this edition, I suspect there is at least a chapter talking about social media. Still, I suspect that Darling agrees with me: Social Media, including LinkedIn, is a tool to help you manage your network, and is not networking in and of itself.
I really appreciated her approach to networking. She views it as relationship building, and encourages the reader to focus on how you can help the other person, not what you can get out of the other person. Actually, her principles were very helpful for support-raising. Definitely, not your traditional "go get them and get rich" networking book.