Networking is Overrated
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Networking is Overrated
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Re: Networking is Overrated
#2There will most likely be periods during which networking is not your highest-value activity.
That same statement could apply to almost anything in life.
Networking, particularly in our industry, certainly isn't overrated. I honestly believe that I wouldn't have achieved anything close to my current level of (relative) success had I not spent the last few years networking aggressively.
Everything in moderation, that's just common sense.
Re: Networking is Overrated
#3Networking is actually underrated
Re: Networking is Overrated
#4Author went to Princeton.[1] Another Princeton grad "found him" through the alumni directory. Sounds like networking to me.
Then, in the fall of 2006, a guy named Austin Merritt looked me up in the Princeton University alumni directory. He was about two years out of school and had just moved to Big Sky to ski, enjoy the outdoors and hopefully find a job in the construction industry. Apparently, we were two of only three alumni in the area. He asked if I wanted to grab dinner sometime, and we did. As we drove home that night, Lauren said, “You know you have to hire that guy.” I knew I did. That would mean paying his salary from my personal savings, which was scary. But somehow, I knew it would be worthwhile.
The author linked to another other article about his company, describing his difficulties hiring good developers and "eventually" stumbling upon SEO, around 2006, when he got lucky finding a college student in Montana. [2]
SEO was pretty common by 2006, especially in places like San Francisco. I'd imagine that if he had done more networking (even in Montana) he might have figured this out sooner. He might also have had a better time finding development resources instead of having to stumble through 10 different outsourcing agencies.
[1] http://wins.softwareadvice.com/how-software-advice-got-start...
[2] http://wins.softwareadvice.com/how-software-advice-got-start...
Re: Networking is Overrated
#5Networking is for people who don't know what they are doing and who don't have better ideas regarding what to do with their time and energy. So if you go to a networking event, understand that you are automatically putting yourself into this class of person.
If you are someone who provides a lot of value, other people will go out of their way to meet you, and then you don't have to go to networking events. So the fact that you are doing networking implies that you are someone who does not provide a lot of value (or else that people don't know what value you provide).
Do you think Elon Musk goes to a lot of networking events? Do you think Steve Jobs went to a lot of networking events?
If you are early in your career and legitimately aren't providing a lot of value yet, because it's early, then I would offer that your time is much better spent cloistered away becoming excellent at what you do, than it is networking. Because if the arc of your career involves you being excellent at what you do, then very quickly you will find that people you meet randomly at events like this are not in your league -- that's just how things are everywhere all the time.
Re: Networking is Overrated
#6Networking is actually underrated
...by engineers.
Re: Networking is Overrated
#7An important point to consider, is that not all networking is equal. A lot of startup founders, for example, tend to like attending "startup events" which are mostly filled with other startup founders, wantrapreneurs, and maybe a few VCs and some angel investors. OK, attending some of those and getting to know the local VCs is important, if you think you'll be raising money at some point. But... if you have to choose between, say, working on your product, and hanging out with a bunch of wantrepreneurs and broke startup founders, I think a strong argument could be made that - in most cases - it's better to be working on your product.
But, on the other hand... what about events that are designed to cater to people who happen to fit the demographic profile of your target market? What if you can attend a networking event where you will be meeting people that you intend to sell your product to? Depending on where in your process you are, that could be very valuable. And, truth be told, at times it has to trump writing code and working on the product.
I'll argue that in the vast majority of cases, the latter type of event has far more value than the former, with the possible exception of a situation where you are specifically in the middle of trying to raise a round and are pointedly working on meeting investors.
In the end though it's all about balance. Networking is important, but you can't just do nothing but network and expect success to just fall in your lap. OTOH, if you spend your entire life in your basement building your product, you're likely to emerge with a product that nobody wants, and with no connections to help you market and sell it.
FWIW, I've made a conscious decision to all but stop attending "startup events" since we're not raising at the moment, and my time is limited. Right now, my priorities are A. meeting customers and B. working on the product.
Re: Networking is Overrated
#8Networking is for people who don't know what they are doing and who don't have better ideas regarding what to do with their time and energy. So if you go to a networking event, understand that you are automatically putting yourself into this class of person. If you are someone who provides a lot of value, other people will go out of their way to meet you, and then you don't have to go to networking events. So the fac…
Do you think Elon Musk goes to a lot of networking events?
Define "a lot" and "networking event". Does Elon go to events that are explicitly titled "Silicon Valley Leads Group" or "Bay Area Startup Mixer"? Probably not. That doesn't mean he doesn't go to networking events though. It's just that his networking events are titled "Gala Banquet Fundraiser for $FOO" and you only get invited if you donated $50,000 to $FOO. When Elon Musk "networks" he's meeting other CEOs, the President, Senators, and the like. But it's still networking.
Re: Networking is Overrated
#9Networking is for people who don't know what they are doing and who don't have better ideas regarding what to do with their time and energy. So if you go to a networking event, understand that you are automatically putting yourself into this class of person. If you are someone who provides a lot of value, other people will go out of their way to meet you, and then you don't have to go to networking events. So the fac…
Its funny you say this but I noticed it first hand.
Also, it depends on where you network and who you network with.
Last month or so I was compelled to network aggressively being the CTO & all. Most folks I met at meetups or other networking events were flat out pointless. This also applies to so called "investor forums/pitches" etc, which to me was the worst kind.
But then I started targeting specific people using linkedin, personal references and my ROI has been great.
Also, you should never network for sake of networking. In fact most people I admire, want others to contact them only if they can help others than just exchange pleasantries. This to me was the biggest surprise but it does make sense [after the fact :)]
Re: Networking is Overrated
#10Interesting article.