Networking is a loaded phrase that you simply both love or hate.
Fortunately, if you understand the place to go, tech trade networking is each straightforward and provoking. Basically, networking is all about assembly folks and forming skilled relationships outdoors of your speedy circle of coworkers.
Nonetheless, simply the phrase networking could make your palms sweat. Like all issues in Product, the important thing to good networking is preparation. And who is aware of, chances are you’ll even be taught to find it irresistible.
Earlier than You Begin: How Not To Community
The artwork of networking is surprisingly refined, and there are some things that may in a short time flip your entire efforts into mush. Networking approached within the mistaken manner can truly be detrimental to your profession, so earlier than you even take into consideration getting began, listed below are some stuff you completely wish to keep away from:
❌ Bothering folks: If somebody hasn’t replied to your first 3 messages, they’re not going to reply to the 4th, fifth, or sixth. Depart them alone!
❌ Flirting: It shouldn’t should be stated nowadays, however depart your dating-mindset on the door.
❌ Approaching too robust, too quickly: Asking somebody to mentor you, or for a suggestion at their firm after solely a short back-and-forth (or none in any respect) is not any solution to make real connections.
❌ Amount over high quality: Don’t simply write out a message and replica and paste it to each single connection potential on LinkedIn. It’s higher to have a couple of high quality connections over a horde of superficial ones.
So in any case that, take into consideration what networking is de facto about…
⭐ Studying about new job alternatives
⭐ Constructing relationships that enrich your skilled life
⭐ Discovering Product Administration communities that aid you to be taught and develop
⭐ Giving again and sharing your personal data and help to others
Networking for Product Managers: 5 Prime Suggestions
#1 Discover Your Area of interest
The tech trade is huge, and so it may be useful to slim down your networking alternatives. Possibly you’re particularly enthusiastic about getting a brand new job, wherein case discovering on-line communities/teams with jobs boards would be the most useful to you.
You may as well slim it all the way down to assembly folks from the identical demographic as you, be it sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity, or nationality. For instance:
These teams exist outdoors of your organization, however there could also be worker teams inside your organization, particularly should you work for FAANG.
You additionally don’t need to restrict your self to a single area of interest. There are intersectional communities on the market for every kind of individuals within the tech trade. When you can’t discover one in your area of interest, begin one! When you’re on the market searching for folks such as you, chances are high they’re searching for you too.
An alternative choice for locating your area of interest in skilled networking, is to decide on an trade or space of curiosity. Possibly you’re in EdTech, or cybersecurity. Possibly you’re tremendous enthusiastic about cryptocurrencies, NFTs, the Metaverse, and Web3.
Each on-line and IRL communities exist in so many areas, so get on the market and discover your folks!
Probably the most stunning issues concerning the tech trade is that though it’s straightforward to search out folks identical to you, it’s additionally straightforward to fulfill people who find themselves nothing such as you! That’s the place your native tech/Product Administration group is available in.
Discovering your native tech group, filled with engineers, entrepreneurs, leaders, FAANG groups, startup entrepreneurs, and tech college students will assist to deepen your data of tech. As a Product Supervisor, it’ll additionally assist along with your understanding of and empathy for tech roles outdoors of Product.
It might even be a surprisingly useful supply of tech jobs. Whereas there might not be a jobs board formally, you may end up chatting to an engineer who is aware of a couple of job opening inside their Product groups. Even when they don’t, you may be taught one thing about software program improvement that you simply by no means knew earlier than!
Test your native Meetup.com, Fb, or LinkedIn teams to see if there are any in-person occasions for tech professionals in your native space.
#3 Work on Your Elevator Pitch
One thing that can provide us nervousness in relation to networking just isn’t being positive what to say. Particularly about ourselves. By working in your elevator pitch, when folks ask you ‘so what brings you right here?’, you received’t get flustered.
That is particularly vital for skilled mixers and profession gala’s, the place you’ll be assembly potential recruiters.
Try our full information to elevator pitches, each for you and your startup.
#4 Community In Your Present Firm
It’s really easy to take the folks in your present firm with no consideration, regardless of how massive or small the group. Tech corporations are filled with fascinating folks, and networking in tech begins in your personal yard.
This tip might sound ridiculous to you should you’re in a startup of beneath twenty folks, and you understand everybody by title, face, and their favourite coloration. However should you work for a bigger firm, and aren’t aware of too many individuals outdoors of your closest circles, it’s time to department out.
Networking is commonly attributed to job looking out, and job looking out solely. However the advantages of networking prolong to your present job too, and will help you to do it higher. Possibly you’ll be taught one thing concerning the gross sales workforce that you simply by no means knew, and that helps you make vital Product choices. Or maybe there’s one thing you understand that may lead a unique workforce to an enormous win.
#5 Maintain an Open Thoughts
It’s good to community with a objective, however should you enter each room with a single-mindedness that shuts out all different alternatives, you’re lacking out. Let’s say you discover a mixer for tech trade professionals in your metropolis.
When you go in solely wanting to speak to fellow Product folks, chances are you’ll miss a captivating dialog with a designer, who would have given you some glorious insights on why your onboarding course of is failing. You may also miss assembly the coed who would have turned out to be your subsequent all-star Affiliate Product Supervisor.
The enjoyable of networking is the number of folks you could meet, and the various doorways that may open to you. It’s additionally your alternative to offer again – to cross on some data or to offer another person a bonus of their job hunt.
So method networking with objectives, sure. But additionally method it with an open thoughts, and a willingness to discover.
Begin Networking
So now you’re excited to place your self on the market. The place to start out?!
Initially, try this nice discuss on transitioning into Product Administration (skip to 14.20 for networking suggestions!).
Subsequent, seize your ticket for #ProductCon, the #1 place to fulfill the Product Administration group.
