
Jacques Mattheij on: Networking without going places - bensummers
http://swombat.com/2011/2/21/jacques-mattheij-networking-without-going-places
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edw519
I have also found most networking (of any kind) to be an inefficient use of my
time. At most events, I always had a little voice in my head saying things
like, "Instead of being here, I could be building <x>," or "What could
possibly come out of this discussion?" I'm also frustrated because so many
events don't have my prospects, but "people who know people who know people
who may know a potential prospect of mine".

I have taken a totally different approach. It's really simple and maybe even
counter-intuitive. Hear me out:

Be excellent. Better yet, be _very_ excellent. In everything you do.

If my customer doesn't think I'm their best vendor, then I have failed.

This applies to _everything_. In the work that I do. In the products I supply.
In the fun their people have with me. In the "outside their box" thinking
about every project. In the communication. In the failsafe processes of doing
business (Yes, I double check that some has double checked.) In thinking 2
steps ahead of them. In being a trusted partner in that part of their
business. In pristine ethics (Don't underestimate this one; one slip
neutralizes _everything else you've ever done_.)

When I conduct business this way, I become a magnet to those who need my
services. I call this "passive networking". I spend no time networking, no
time marketing, pay no referrals, and focus completely on my customers. They
know and appreciate this. When one of their colleagues mentions a concern at
_their_ networking meeting, their Tech Club, their restaurant, or in a
discussion with their vendors and customers, they think of me. When they care
about the people they know, they want the best for them. I always want to be
thought of in this way. IMO, _this_ is the definition of totally efficient
marketing.

I know it sounds awfully old school and like a cop-out, but doing everything I
can to make myself a magnet is the best thing I ever did for my business. So
instead of wasting 99% of my time with strangers, I spend it directly
investing 100% of it in people that already matter.

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pasbesoin
This seems similar to some of my thoughts:

Networking for networking's sake: Bah.

Networking to get something done (it can just as easily be (genuinely) helping
someone else out, as my own project): Yay!

Networking for networking's sake I find to founded on the wrong purpose; at
least for my personality, it puts the cart before the horse.

OTOH, I can engaging in interesting, and deep, conversation with a _wide_
variety of people and topics. But as soon as I start thinking about "what's in
this for me", it all goes to crap. And people who approach me with that
attitude just make me want to take a shower (euch, get it off!). Actually, I
feel a bit torn between wanting to be helpful but knowing I'm being
manipulated (hopefully not too successfully).

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rickmb
I worked this way totally by accident when I first became a self-employed
contractor.

I didn't plan it, nor did I consciously exploit it when it happened, but it
did turn out that way. The upshot was I never had to spend a second on
networking and getting clients. Just two good contacts kept coming up with
referrals, and the most difficult thing I had to do was to say "no, I'm too
busy" every so often.

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raganwald
The best thing about this is that sometimes you don't even have to pay out the
referral fee! I personally don't like to accept fees for anything where I'm
already being compensated.

For example, if I am working with a client (or even plan to in the future) and
I recommend Jacques, I will not accept 10%. It's a conflict of interest. Of
course, if I'm not working for/with someone and I have no expectation of doing
so in the future, I'm free to accept a referral fee.

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dkarl
_I've been to a few networking events and, honestly, I feel like a fish on dry
land when I'm there. I don't know who to talk to, I don't like the atmosphere,
and I don't do alcohol, so typically I'm bored out of my skull and somewhat
annoyed - not the best first impression to make on the others._

This is exactly what happened to me the last time I went someplace hoping to
"network." The conversations were dominated by callow young guys (only a few
years younger than me, but acting like teenagers) either making it clear how
much they thought about themselves or making snarky comments about other
people's architectures. With regard to the latter, I just stood there
thinking, "You could be right, but you obviously don't know enough about the
specifics of their technology to make a sound engineering judgment, much less
convince anybody else," knowing that if I opened my mouth everyone would think
I was an idiot who felt defensive about bad design. Personally, I do drink
alcohol, and all I wanted to do was get drunk so I wouldn't feel so miserable
standing there feeling out of place. To avoid that I just sat down and read a
book on my iPhone until the technical presentation started. Total networking
failure! I think I'm stuck relying on former coworkers to be my network, which
is just fine with me.

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capstone
Having consulted in NYC roughly 2002-2010, I highly recommend finding a good
agency. I got all my gigs that way and they were consistently longer lasting
and higher paying than gigs I got through networking. Plus, I didn't have to
lift a finger - no negotiations, late payments, collections, etc., and I never
had any downtime as long as I gave my agent a couple weeks notice.

~~~
SkyMarshal
I'm new to contracting, what are some examples of a good agency? Would that be
like a recruiter who specializes in contractors?

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capstone
The best way to pick a good agent is to interview with several and see what
gigs they throw your way. I've gotten a bad vibe off agencies with good
clients, and vice versa, so I would ignore any secondary signifiers and look
solely at what interviews they send you on. Having said that, I would avoid
the big temp agencies. They are clearing houses for cheap temp labor so they
waste your time on those stupid in-house computer tests but they don't have
good clients for tech.

To answer your second question, I've never seen a recruiter that does full-
time or contractor but not both. They always try to steer you toward full-time
however those full-time positions usually start as contractor-to-hire anyway.

It's really quite easy to find good recruiters in NYC. They are usually
subscribed to technical mailing lists and LinkedIn groups. Broadcast your
availability and see who contacts you.

One last bit of advice: check out Freelancers Union for health insurance. The
options aren't stellar but still better than anywhere else.

What kind of work do you do, if you don't mind my asking?

~~~
SkyMarshal
Thanks, very helpful.

I've done web development, database design & reporting, email marketing, and a
brief stint at a small bond fund, but the only thing I really enjoyed was web
development, so focusing back on that now.

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toadi
Well this sounds the same setup as I'm using now. Except I work for a large
consultancy company who takes 10% of my fee when they land a contract.

~~~
listic
Is it customary for this kind of companies to take that little?

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jabits
Yeah, I was going to comment on this as well. This is a good deal compared
with most consultancy shops I've subcontracted through, more typically 15-20%.
Or in several cases, they expect me not to know the ultimate rate billed to
the client and we just agree on my hourly rate.

