If you are a practicing attorney in today’s legal market, you can attest to the difficulties attorneys face in the networking process. Traditional networking opportunities—the large gathering where business cards are exchanged over cocktails—have proven to be an unrewarding exercise, at best. Many times, young lawyers find themselves at events thinking, “What now?” Surprisingly, the answer to that question for many lies outside of the gathering.
In our quest to redefine networking, a great place to start is with our base—with those we consider to be our “circle.” Those we share our triumphs and pitfalls with are often uniquely positioned to consider our abilities when opportunities arise. Take a step back and ask yourself: “Why do I expect a complete stranger to have the ability or desire to invest in my success?” While we may have successful encounters with strangers, an introduction will certainly fare better than a random encounter. Find someone who can introduce you with a purpose and simultaneously impress upon those being introduced, the potential for mutual benefit, thus organically growing “circles.”
This idea may seem foreign in our careers Without question, we leverage personal relationships every day, for a myriad of reasons, be they social, familial, or political. However, leveraging these relationships can lead to great success in our legal careers, both for ourselves and those in our networks. Keep the following takeaways in mind as you leverage personal relationships to maximize your networking:
