Love Your Next Job Follow-Up

Our first All Hands Taiwan event was a remarkable success last week, and for those who missed it here is a distilled blog account of the main topics that were discussed (see the photos here!). We will be publishing a summary blog post along with audio after every event. For a quick reminder who the panelists were for this event, check out this blog post.

Download full audio of the event here: https://bit.ly/2UbiHBL

The Networking Experience

For the four panelists, networking was essential to their professional life in Taiwan. One key word that came up in the discussion was being ‘shameless’ in reaching out to the network.

For John who was a freelance writer for ad agencies and marketing firms for a year, it was essential to stick his neck out to get a string of jobs from companies who appreciated his initiative. In his words, it was key to show his face at networking events, otherwise he would not get anywhere in the long run. A common theme among the panel was that the payoff from networking may not seem clear at the time, and only time will reveal the true value of these connections. Playing the long game works, playing the short game with networking is asking lightning to strike the same spot twice. 

The above idea was echoed by Alan- who quit teaching in Taipei to look for something new in Shanghai, and the only way for him to thrive in that new environment was to reach out to everyone: apply for every single job that he was qualified for online, incessantly messaging people on LinkedIn (check out his LinkedIn if you want to see a very polished and well-connected profile)and suiting up and turning up to large corporate offices such as Nike and bravely handing out a resume to HR. It takes guts to promote yourself in such a way, however it gets easier after the first few times after you battle the anxiety and social awkwardness. The only way to gain confidence in being shameless is through constant trial and error: walking into countless shiny corporate offices, nearly getting kicked out of some of them but then again being offered interviews etcetera. Networking also extended to the bar, sharing a drink with a variety of people and steering conversations to talk about potential leads, opportunities and asking for introductions to influential decision makers who could get you a job.

For sure, there are different approaches and varying degrees of intensity you can commit yourself to networking, but whether you are a freelancer seeking the next pay-check like John or a job-seeker like Alan was (both who threw absolutely everything at networking), you will know your environment far better, and people in that environment will consciously know that you are an individual who is hungry and eager to contribute. Who would not want to hire such an individual?

Another approach to networking is to invest time and energy in building connections when you are already in a job. Kathleen, for instance, worked in a high-end school when she first started in Taipei and built connections with the parents of the kids she was teaching. Consequently, Kathleen realised that by going above and beyond in establishing connections she built a future-client base who were fully supportive of her projects after her teaching. This client-base consisted of Taiwanese celebrities, politicians and influencers who ended up benefitting Kathleen’s career after teaching entirely.

By attending plenty of parties and being proactive in talking to plenty of people, Jenna developed a mental map of her network and became extremely resourceful to her network by connecting. She knew everyone’s niche in the specific talents, and in turn the network now knew her niche and her talents as a Fashion designer. Networking is not a one-way grab, and in Jenna’s words it involves connecting friends who need work, on top of finding yourself work and opportunities. Otherwise put, if networking is not approached in way that could be mutually beneficial for you and the network you will not get far. Be resourceful and valued by your network, do not just take: share.