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Is the prospect of networking with strangers terrifying to you? Although not everyone is born with this skill, there are tried-and-true methods for getting around this commercial practice. In reality, there are a plethora of publications claiming to have top-notch networking tips that will help you advance your career.
These books will teach you how to tackle your fears, make essential connections, and master chit-chat and small-talk scenarios so you can get out of the corner and start working the room like a pro. See our list of the finest networking books for innovative and practical techniques to help you advance in your profession.
Dale Carnegie is compassionate, hilarious, practical, and melancholy all in one book, which is why it is an all-time classic. The title makes it sound like something a psychopath would enjoy, but once you open it, you'll quickly learn it's not the case. Carnegie's counsel is predicated on becoming the kind of genuine person who adds value to other people's lives.
His advice may sound apparent, such as "Talk to someone about themselves and they will listen for hours," but after reading the book, you will begin to act like someone who has just bought a new car: you will start to see the things he outlines everywhere you look. This is a fast read you should add to your bookshelves if you want to become a better friend, mentor, family member, coworker, or boss.
Never eat alone
It's time to put an end to the melancholy desk sandwich for good. Every lunch is an opportunity to meet new people and strengthen existing relationships. According to author Keith Ferrazzi, staying relevant is the most crucial thing you can do for your profession, and the easiest way to accomplish so is to keep on people's radar at lunchtime. This book also recommends using social media to help you develop and maintain connections and check in with your contacts regularly – not just when you need something. Ferrazzi teaches you how to do this and how to break into the most challenging social circles, use conferences to your advantage, and overcome rejection and disappointments.
This is the place to start if you want to deconstruct the art and science of networking scientifically. It's structured more like a how-to manual than a beach read, but it does an excellent job of deconstructing the who, what, when, where, and how of effective networking. Inside, you'll learn the fundamentals of the "invisible job market," which you can only access through networking — and which, according to the authors, accounts for 70% of all jobs. The most important strategy you'll learn is how to provide the "fast and dirty" version of what you want and can offer without being slick or off-putting.
The charisma myth
People aren't born good or lousy communicators, contrary to popular opinion. In fact, Olivia Fox Cabane claims that all you need to become a great one is cultivating a mentality and practicing charismatic skills. Learn simple strategies for being more present in conversations, as well as concrete actions to do. Learn how to imagine your goals in order to achieve them. Learn about the four varieties of charisma to better understand how to encourage others in various situations. Networking and engaging with others becomes easier once Cabane explains how charisma comes from lifting others up rather than building yourself up.
Give and take
Adam Grant is the highest-rated professor at Wharton Business School, and in this book, he uses his expertise to examine the essentials of professional success. Why do some people achieve success while others do not? This book aims to provide an answer to this age-old question. Surprisingly, Grant's research reveals that the two groups have one thing in common: they are both generous people. Throughout the book, he examines the circumstances in which being a warm person is beneficial to the individual and society and the circumstances in which being excessively warm leads to burnout.
Superconnector
Attending a continuous stream of loud, crowded, hectic events with hundreds or thousands of people in the same business all packed into one area is some people's idea of networking. Stop if you're taking this strategy! It won't help you get anyplace. Instead of adopting a "more is better" mindset, you should strive to become a community builder that values your personal time. This book will show you how to form strong bonds with others and how to connect the dots that will propel you to the next level in your career.
Authors Scott Gerber and Ryan Paugh present the stories of various community builders who have risen to the top of their respective sectors in this book, which will teach you how to interact more effectively and empathically. The book isn't career-specific. Therefore it can aid you regardless of your field. Each chapter will motivate you to take new chances while also offering sound guidance on successfully doing so.
Networking is not working.
After a long day at work, networking events can be exhausting. You're squeezed into a sweltering room with a bunch of strangers, feverishly trying to hand out business cards while holding a beer and your briefcase. Unsurprisingly, these kinds of gatherings are not the most effective approach to meet new individuals. Author Derek Coburn recommends a new approach, and this book lays out the steps. The most crucial thing you need to learn to establish a network properly is how to deliver value to your clients and connections. Instead of trying to fit into an existing network, once you've worked out what you have to offer, start developing your own.
This book is chock-full of real-life examples with takeaways you can immediately use for your own job.
Final thoughts
There's a reason Dale Carnegie's book is still a best-seller: "How to Win Friends and Influence People" is just as relevant now as it was in the 1930s. It is one of the most effective self-improvement books of all time because it gets to the center of the human psyche. After reading it, pick up "Never Eat Alone" for some current tactics for establishing and maintaining connections in person and online.
You can find all of these books on Amazon.
