Communication and Professional Image in Networking

Communication and Professional Image in Networking Communication and Professional Image in Networking Successful people believe their success is attributable to a pattern of mutually beneficial interpersonal relationships, as much as it is due to technical skills or business knowledge. Your communication and the image you present create the first impression- often the lasting impression- on the people you meet. Want a more professional image? How you present, yourself is the first step in building that mutually beneficial network of contacts. Studies about people meeting reveal that most people make decisions about a new acquaintance within the first thirty seconds to two minutes of interaction. It does not give you much time to make a good impression. A study by Dr. Albert Mehrabian at UCLA revealed that when people try to convey meaning through their  communication with others, the majority of your message is communicated nonverbally and through voice and facial expression. His studies revealed that up to 37 percent of a first impression is based upon the speakers tone of voice. On the telephone, that number rises to 80 percent or higher, according to many communication consultants. These are the four areas that have a huge impact on your image and how you present yourself professionally: appearance,interpersonal interaction,written interaction, andnetworking. Professional Appearance Counts The standard advice given by mentors and managers to people who want to advance their career has always been to dress for the job you want, not the job you have currently. Even in this day of more casual dressing for work, your professional image will serve you well when promotions, lateral moves, choice assignments and departmental visibility are available. A professional appearance sets you apart from coworkers who are less concerned about projecting a successful, professional image. Here are guidelines for business casual dress and business casual dress in a manufacturing work environment. These dress code guidelines will serve you well in any workplace that espouses todays casual environment. Speak to Groups to Enhance Your Image Do you know that studies have demonstrated that more people claim to be afraid of public speaking than they are of dying? Public speaking, presentations at meetings, and speaking eloquently in small groups can do more for your career visibility than almost any other opportunity. Promotions also come more frequently to employees who can communicate effectively in person. Project a Professional Image in Writing Your self-presentation via written reports, email, correspondence, and all other forms of written communication are the face you most frequently present in your workplace or professional community. With email correspondence, IMs, texting, and posting to social networks, informality usually rules. That’s a mistake for your professional image. These communication tools at work are formal and professional communication tools and should look like formal communication. In an  email, for example, begin with a greeting (Dear Mary), a closing (Regards), and a signature file that tells who you are, your title, department, work address and telephone number. For general instruction in writing, check out Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab. It’s a great reference. For general information about professional and business writing, Purdue comes through once again. Their index will lead you to topics such as  General business writing issues, Letters, memos and reports, and Samples and Models. They are all worth your time. Trusting that the advice in these four areas will help you project the professional image you want others to notice about you, use these tips to enhance your career. Your successful professional image, projected through your speaking, face-to-face meetings, written communication, and appearance, will result in more opportunities for networking. Networking is building professional, mutually serving relationships for the purpose of helping both parties obtain goals. The term originates in a dictionary definition: “a system of elements (as lines or channels) that cross in the manner of the threads in a net.” (Merriam-Webster) Your image and communication are critical to advancing your networking success. People have always built professional networks informally, but attention in recent years  has focused on systematically building relationships with professional friends and friends of friends. In his book, The Tipping Point  (compare prices), Malcolm Gladwell describes a person who knows many other people as a connector, and he credits connectors with facilitating much of the interaction people have with each other. Whether its a business associate’s knowledge, a job, a restaurant recommendation, or a good book to read, connectors help others get what they need by connecting people who don’t know each other. It is also how you build a professional network. If youve successfully developed a professional image through your face-to-face, written, and spoken communication; your appearance and your presence, your career will soar.