Networking is about collecting information and getting the names of new people to talk to, not asking someone for a job. By talking to enough people and collecting enough information, you will hear of career opportunities and how to pursue them.
Networking works when you form mutually-beneficial relationships; you and your contact need to have something to offer each other, either now or in future. You have to feel comfortable with each other and shouldn't feel that you are asking your contacts for favours or are in some way indebted to them.
Your initial approach should be done in a way that doesn't embarrass you or make you feel awkward. Some people are happier initiating contact by phone, others by email or even letter. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages, so use whichever one you are most comfortable with.
In the last article, I focused on setting the objectives for your conversations with of your contacts. Your initial approach to a potential networking contact should reflect this. A good opening approach to a networking contact could go something like the one below. Adapt it to suit the objectives you have set for each contact and your particular circumstances:
'I was given your name by XX who thought you might be able to give me some advice/ we might have some interests in common.
'One area I'm looking at is the [industry/ company]. I am trying to find out about [your objectives] and wondered if you would you be kind enough to spare 20 minutes or so to allow me to ask you a few questions about this? My background is in […] and we may well be able to share information.'
Some people you approach will be quite willing to meet, others may prove more difficult. If you encounter resistance, try to explain – without being too pushy – that you just want to have a chat and that you are not asking them to put themselves in a difficult position. If you still can't get a meeting, don't take it personally, just move on to your next contact.
Once you have your meeting arranged you need to structure the conversation to achieve your objectives. Be clear about what you want to get from the meeting and prepare your questions in advance. Start the meeting by introducing yourself and your career background concisely. Briefly outline your experience to date and your goals, and then move onto your information-gathering questions. These might include:
• How did you start in this area?
• How do you think your company's culture compares to its competitors?
• What skills and personal qualities do you think your company looks for when recruiting?
• Who do you think I should be meeting in your company/sector?
• What advice would you offer to someone coming into this business for the first time?
• What would you recommend I do to prepare for getting work in this sector?
• Do you think my past experience and skills fit into this company/ sector?
• What opportunities do you see in the future for this industry?
Give the other person time to think about their answers but try to keep the conversation going. Take notes; it shows that you value their answers and are taking the information they give you seriously.
Make sure, as the meeting draws to a close, that you ask if they can give you the names of a couple of other people you should be talking to. Could they introduce you? If not, could you mention the fact that they gave you their name? Always aim to leave a networking meeting with two new contacts to approach; it's the best way to expand your network.
Don't expect too much from the first meeting with a new contact. Networking doesn't always produce immediate results, it's a cumulative process; the more you engage with someone, the more you learn. Aim to build a warm relationship, one that will allow you to keep in contact with the person and to follow up from time-to-time.
Harry Freedman is a career coach and founder of the Career Advice Centre. He is the author of How To Get a Job In A Recession. Flight of the phoenix trailer.
This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To get more content and advice like this direct to your inbox, sign up for our weekly update and careers ebook.
Related Articles
- 1 Write a Briefing Memo
- 2 What Can I Do to Challenge a False Investigation Report on Bullying in the Workplace?
- 3 What to Do If You Are Wrongfully Terminated With a Contract
- 4 Write an Amendment to a Contract
Jobs can be tough enough without adding a false accusation to the mix. If your boss has wrongly accused you of something, your first reaction might be to lash out in anger or talk about him behind his back. But you need to act professionally so as not to add fuel to the accusation and also look closely at state laws before you respond.
Reaction
Of course, you will want to go to your boss and explain that you were not responsible, in case there's been a misunderstanding. But if your boss still puts a note of the alleged incident in your personnel file, there might not be a lot you can do unless he is somehow specifically violating an employment contract. Try not to become bitter and let the experience undermine the way you perform your job. If it appears that your boss simply doesn't like you, then you might want to start looking for a new job so you can leave before you're let go.
At-Will Employment
The first thing you should do, especially if you're fired or at risk of being fired due to this false accusation, is find out the degree to which your state uses at-will employment laws. At will means that an employer can fire an employee at any time without needing an explanation or warning. Montana is the only state in the United States that isn't at will. Other states have created exceptions that apply only to that state. For example, 41 states and the District of Columbia recognize implied contracts created through means such as oral promises, but they can be difficult to prove. If your state is at will with no exceptions, there might not be much you can do to prevent being fired. You will want to consult an attorney to be sure.
Consider Discrimination
Although at-will states give most of the power to the employer, an employer still does not have the right to discriminate against protected classes. If you're being punished because of your race, gender, age or religion, then you might be able to sue your employer for discrimination. This will move the fight into the area of federal law, and you'll likely need to file papers with federal agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Document everything that happens and consult an attorney if this situation applies to you.
Signing Documents
If the false accusation leads to an official investigation conducted by the human resources department, you can plead your case to the department. The investigation should be done confidentially, although HR may need to involve other employees to get all the facts. If you are formally reprimanded and asked to sign any documents concerning the reprimand, add the words 'receipt only, rebuttal to follow' to your signature, suggests Suzanne Lucas, a human-resources expert. Submit a professional, written response with rebuttal evidence to keep on file.
Defamation
There is one more legal avenue to consider when you're falsely accused, and that is the area of defamation. Defamation is a false statement that harms your reputation. A verbal statement is slander and a written statement is libel. However, proving defamation in court isn't easy. You must prove the statement was false, that your boss said it intentionally, and that your reputation was damaged in a concrete way. In addition, your employer's statement must be a statement of fact and not opinion.
References (3)
About the Author
With features published by media such as Business Week and Fox News, Stephanie Dube Dwilson is an accomplished writer with a law degree and a master's in science and technology journalism. She has written for law firms, public relations and marketing agencies, science and technology websites, and business magazines.
Cite this Article Choose Citation Style
Dube, Stephanie. 'How to Deal With a Boss Who Unfairly Accused You of Something You Did Not Do.' Work - Chron.com, http://work.chron.com/deal-boss-unfairly-accused-something-did-not-22041.html. 29 June 2018.
Dube, Stephanie. (2018, June 29). How to Deal With a Boss Who Unfairly Accused You of Something You Did Not Do. Work - Chron.com. Retrieved from http://work.chron.com/deal-boss-unfairly-accused-something-did-not-22041.html
Dube, Stephanie. 'How to Deal With a Boss Who Unfairly Accused You of Something You Did Not Do' last modified June 29, 2018. http://work.chron.com/deal-boss-unfairly-accused-something-did-not-22041.html
Note: Depending on which text editor you're pasting into, you might have to add the italics to the site name.
Related Articles
- 1 Handle Problems During Sales Presentations
- 2 Examples of Communication Strategies by Retailers
- 3 Trade Show Booth Etiquette
- 4 Get a Store to Carry Your Product
Like many entrepreneurs, you probably felt the “light bulb” over your head illuminate when you least expected it to, such as when you were walking through a store and a product remarkably similar to your own caught your eye. Picking it up and inspecting it, you honestly concluded that your product is superior and so wondered, If this product made it onto store shelves, why can't mine? In fact, it can, as long as you're willing to do the proper homework before you approach the store owner or manager with your product in hand.
Retail May Open New Doors
Whatever your current situation – whether this will be your first commercial foray, you sell your product strictly online or you're just launching a small business – placing your product on a store's shelves may allow you to:
- Deepen your brand awareness. Expand your product reach to new customers. Bolster revenues. Develop new business connections. Create marketing opportunities.
Retail Stores Demand a Solid Infrastructure
A segue into retail may represent the key to your company's growth strategy. But it also may force you to tweak your product or business processes because retail sales demand:
- Superior packaging that engages consumers. Properly structured profit margins. A solid and dependable shipping and logistics system. The capability to handle large orders. An exemplary customer service operation.
Their Challenges Become Yours
Retail stores also face challenges and realities that will influence your sales pitch. Namely, they:
- Pay large overhead on things like rent, employees, store fixtures and signage, utilities and furnishings.
- Operate on thin profit margins. Require more products to be available in stock. Emphasize product appearance and display. Often monitor foot traffic and customer reactions to products to maximize their profit per square foot. May unceremoniously discontinue a product that fails to generate sales.
Solidify Your Terms
Reading between the lines, you know you must elevate your game – not only to impress the store owner or manager but to protect your own financial interests. Before you make your sales pitch, lock down your terms and policies regarding:
- Minimum orders. Payment terms and methods. Shipping options. Exchanges and returns. Turnaround time, or the time a customer will normally wait from the time she places an order until delivery.
Pursue a Face-to-Face Meeting
Before you go any further in the process, you should research the store and learn what you can about its history, industry reputation, and relationship with customers and suppliers before requesting an in-person meeting. So much the better if you can also meet and talk in person with fellow suppliers. They are often happy to share their experiences with up-and-coming entrepreneurs, at least those whose products pose no competition with their own.
A face-to-face interview with fellow suppliers will also be good practice for your meeting with the store owner or manager. Admittedly, it isn't the only way to make a sales pitch. In fact, some retail chains and large groups of retail stores may tell you to send a letter and “pitch package” to their corporate office, where it presumably will be reviewed, and the viability of your product will be evaluated – in “due time,” of course.
But like other forms of business communication, in-person encounters give you benefits that even online chats cannot duplicate:
![Approaching someone with an accusation act Approaching someone with an accusation act](/uploads/1/2/3/7/123719135/652979490.jpg)
- You can demonstrate the product and pass it around so others can touch it and inspect it. You can simulate a “typical” consumer encounter with your product. You can be more attuned to nonverbal cues and body language that can alert you to questions and objections, or how you might modify your pitch.
Roll Out the Red Carpet
Some entrepreneurs would say it's harder for people to say “no” to a sales pitch when an erstwhile business person is standing right there in front of them. This may be true, but you can also finesse your sales pitch by:
- Creating a product sell sheet that details not only features but benefits. Your audience should appreciate having something to glance at while you talk and something to review after you've left. Telling an engaging story about your product and why it is a good fit for the people who shop at the store. Underscoring why your product is different from others the store may carry and how it fills an open niche in the marketplace. Encouraging people to ask questions during and after your product presentation. Leaving samples of your product behind.
Don't Forget Followup
Before you even finish your product presentation, you may develop a good sense of whether the owner or manager will agree to stock your product – but don't be so sure. In some retail circles, product presentations have become so commonplace that people have mastered the art of the poker face and keeping their true feelings under wraps. They may also want to do their own consumer research before making a commitment to you.
For this reason and also for the sake of business etiquette, be certain to send a thank-you email to your hosts. Use the opportunity to reinforce why you think your product would be a fine addition to the store's offerings. In the end, that “aha” moment that fuels those mental light bulbs just may belong to them.
References (4)
About the Author
Mary Wroblewski earned a master's degree with high honors in communications and has worked as a reporter and editor in two Chicago newsrooms. Then she launched her own small business, which specialized in assisting small business owners with “all things marketing” – from drafting a marketing plan and writing website copy to crafting media plans and developing email campaigns. Mary writes extensively about small business issues and especially “all things marketing.”
Photo Credits
Approaching Someone With An Accusation Act
- Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
Choose Citation Style
Wroblewski, M.T. 'How to Approach a Store to Sell Your Product.' Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/approach-store-sell-product-16008.html. 03 June 2019.
Wroblewski, M.T. (2019, June 03). How to Approach a Store to Sell Your Product. Small Business - Chron.com. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/approach-store-sell-product-16008.html
Wroblewski, M.T. 'How to Approach a Store to Sell Your Product' last modified June 03, 2019. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/approach-store-sell-product-16008.html
Approaching Someone With An Accusation Meaning
Note: Depending on which text editor you're pasting into, you might have to add the italics to the site name.