Q:   Recently, I have reached out to people in my networks for support and help.  A few have been helpful, but the vast majority have been either unresponsive or they have completely ignored me.  This is aggravating.  I know the best networking happens with people you know or with colleagues of those you know, so, where do I go from here?

A:  Sometimes, our colleagues are preoccupied, distracted or fearful about their own careers.  Any of these states of being might make someone reluctant to share information and/or live contacts.

If reluctance is the case, so be it. Let it go. Instead of relying on your usual networking method, branch out into other networks.  Select professional networks in your area of expertise or industry, and tap into those.  These can be great resources, but do know utilizing them might mean investing in a membership or two in order to get circulating in a productive way.

Another wonderful means of networking is to use your hobbies and personal interests to foster professional ties.  Sports, horticulture, music and games all provide diverse, high-achieving professionals reasons to get together and share information.  It does not matter if a particular organization is perfectly aligned with your career. As long as you enjoy the interaction, do it.  These groups can provide many opportunities to share both time and data.

Who knows why the initial responses to your networking attempts are so lukewarm.  To find out, you might consider reaching out to mutual colleagues to get a “read” on the surprising behavior.  Perhaps there is a past interaction you have overlooked or disregarded.  Or, life issues could be at play.  Also, in uncertain times, even ordinarily helpful professionals get to feeling besieged and frightened which can have an adverse impact on their normal behavior.

Whatever the reason for your efforts to have not panned out, the point here is to go beyond that initial “rejection” scenario, and do something productive.  Do not let those first stumbles stymie your job search.  You have spent time preparing for success, and, even now, there are intriguing opportunities out there for discerning job seekers.

Contact Karen Alphonse at Karena@execSearches.com or visit ExecSearches.com for more information about our career coaching services.

ExecSearches.com is a job board for nonprofit job seekers interested in fundraising, management and executive nonprofit jobs.

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Last updated on September 19th, 2012 at 11:56 am