Top 10 Networking Books for Your Career Success

Top 10 Networking Books for Your Career Success Even the most confident, social and outgoing among us may  find the prospect of both personal and professional networking daunting at  times. From an early age we’re taught “don’t talk to strangers” but when we  grow up, we suddenly find ourselves thrust into situations, be it at parties or  business events, where we’re expected to initiate conversation with random  individuals who we’ve never seen before, don’t know and have nothing to do  with. Not only that, but we’re expected to get tangible results out of such  encounters. Be it our matchmaking friend or our sales manager, they expect you  to leave that party or conference with a date or a business card. The issue here is that networking, as well as being a  social skill, also counts as a career skill and the majority of us have had no  formal career (or social) skills training. However, building up such skills can  be an essential part of building your career, so it’s worth investing time in yourself to learn these skills. Good, old-fashioned, paper-not-digital books are  one of a number of ways to start self-training. Here are ten of the most rated  books on networking; a good mixture of classics and newer titles. Click:  Ten Truths for Building Extraordinary Relationships George  Fraser If even the word ‘networking’ fills you with dread and you  just find the whole concept too contrived, this book is for you. In it, George  Fraser explains he prefers the term ‘connecting’ to ‘networking’ and encourages  us to be sincere. It’s not wishy-washy vagueness though-each chapter is packed  with practical, ‘takeaway’ advice. Networking  like a Pro: Turning Contacts into Connections Ivan Misner On the theme of ‘connecting’, have you ever felt like  you’re just amassing contacts without forging any type of close connection with  them? This book shows you how to resolve this by breaking down a number of  networking techniques, illustrated by real life examples. Breakthrough  Networking: Building Relationships that Last Lillian D. Bjorseth Here’s another book focusing on the long-term nurturing of  your network. It guides you through the process from meeting new people to  establishing them as close and valued contacts within your inner circle. Like  many of the best career guides, Bjorseth has corporate experience herself, so  she knows what she’s talking about. Diane Darling  Lillian D. Bjorseth Although this is by the same author, it has a slightly  different objective in that it focuses more on getting to know new people than  getting closer to the ones you know. Just as valid a lesson-if we never got to  know anyone new, we’d never have anyone to get closer to! Make  your Contacts Count: Networking Know-How for Business and Career Success Anne Baber Lynne Waymon This is as interactive as a traditional book can get, with  various quizzes, assessments and step-by-step plans to guide the reader through  all the stages of professional networking relationships. A useful read for all,  from entrepreneurs to job seekers. Highly  Effective Networking: Meet the Right People and get a Great Job Orville  Pierson Networking as part of our job search is certainly useful,  but a haphazard, confused approach can render it counterproductive. This book  helps untangle matters by laying out the steps for a straightforward, targeted  approach. Pierson is also honest about the time and perseverance required to  get the job we really want. The  Fine Art of Small Talk: How to Start a Conversation, Keep it Going, Build  Networking Skills-and Leave a Positive Impression!  Debra Fine What about books for those of us who aren’t even  comfortable with starting a conversation when it comes to networking? This one  starts right from the start, even providing a list of icebreakers. There’s an  accompanying cassette so all in all it’s a varied learning experience! Savvy  Networking: 118 Fast Effective Tips for Business Success Andrea  Nierenberg This is ideal if you don’t have much spare time for  reading, or if you don’t enjoy reading long passages! The advice for business  networkers is broken down into takeaway tips, flavoured with some real-life  illustrations for variation. How  to Win Friends and Influence People Dale Carnegie This well-known classic from the 1930s is still relevant to  networkers today. Networking is not only about meeting people and getting to  know them, but also about treating people in the right way. Chapters like ‘Six  ways to make people like you’ may sound a bit ‘high school’ and clumsy but that  doesn’t totally invalidate the sentiments behind them. Let’s face it, if  someone doesn’t like you, they’re not going to help you, no matter how good a  networker you are. It seems there’s a networking book out there for all of us,  no matter what stage of our career-or career transition-we’re at. Books are  just one useful tool in building up skills like networking. Try asking friends  about their own experiences, seeking out specific training and, of course,  getting out there and trying out these books’ tips for yourself. Practice makes  perfect! Related: 5 Great Ways NOT to Network. Author: Nisa Chitakasem is the founder of Position Ignition â€" a  careers company dedicated to taking  you to the next step in your career. Image: Shutterstock