27 Networking and Self-Promotion Strategies, Observations, and Resources for Information Professionals
- “Networking and self-promotion is a balance: consider the need to be factual, sincere, genuine, tasteful, and authentic
- Focus on the things you do well as part of your profession, such as discovering and communicating information; keep it as simple as possible and strive to maintain modesty
- Develop ways that become natural and organic parts of your daily, ongoing professional life
- Presenting and other involvement at conferences and professional associations; participating on panels; teaching
- According to Leslie Howerton-Hicks and Tracy Z. Maleeff, in Information Outlook: “Networking is the most important weapon in your career arsenal, no matter what stage of professional development you are in.”
- Also from Howerton-Hicks and Maleeff: “The ability to network and connect with people is a skill, not a personality trait…”
- Role of LinkedIn and other social media outlets
- Explore opportunities through college and corporate alumni networks
- Consider the difference between promoting your work and promoting your library (or wherever you work)
- Learn from the influential 1973 research by Mark Granovetter, now of Stanford University, then of Johns Hopkins University. This roughly breaks down to friends/contacts and acquaintances, or friends of friends; especially relevant for LinkedIn
- For finding valuable information about opportunities (including new jobs, careers, etc.), these weak (or dormant) ties are likely to have more novel information than your closest friends/acquaintances/contacts.
- Importance of personal branding and social capital
- Tap into the art of influence and persuasion by writing articles, blog posts, and books; and by becoming a thought leader
- Develop and maintain your portfolio of work experiences and projects; promote yourself for visibility in getting new jobs and other professional opportunities
- Consider the role of introverts; yet many librarians and information professionals are extroverts; and most people are on a spectrum between introversion and extroversion
- Being an extrovert doesn’t necessarily mean you are automatically more suited to networking and self-promotion
- Networking and self-promotion require the need to step out of your comfort zone
- Keep a positive attitude, practice reciprocity, and remember the holistic, big picture
- Nancy Ancowitz: Self-Promotion for Introverts: The Quiet Guide to Getting Ahead. McGraw-Hill Education, 2009
- Susan Cain: “How to Overcome the Fear of “Putting Yourself Out There.” LinkedIn. September 14, 2015
- Alisa Cohn and Dorie Clark: “How to Network When There Are No Networking Events.” Harvard Business Review. June 23, 2020
- Meredith Fineman: Brag Better: Master the Art of Fearless Self-Promotion. Portfolio, 2020
- Leslie Howerton-Hicks and Tracy Z. Maleeff: “Network Like Nobody’s Watching: Demystifying Networking as a Skill for the Librarian and Information Professional Community.” Information Outlook July/August 2015
- Jennifer B. Kahnweiler: Quiet Influence: The Introvert’s Guide to Making a Difference. Berrett-Koehler, 2013
- Rosabeth Moss Kanter: “Networking Doesn’t Have to Be Self-Serving.” Harvard Business Review. March 6, 2020
- Dan Schawbel: Promote Yourself: The New Rules for Career Success; expanded, updated edition. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2014
- Devora Zack: Networking for People Who Hate Networking, Second Edition: A Field Guide for Introverts, the Overwhelmed, and the Underconnected. Berrett-Koehler, 2019″
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