Networking, is it worth it?
Bernard Crouch, Managing Director at Acumen FM, tells his experience of networking in the FM sector.
You arrive at your first event, by yourself, you don’t know anyone, you look around? Someone approaches, they ask you, ‘are you here to learn about (insert acronym)’ DDA, RAMS, PHE, BCP, QSHE (or is that SHEQ?)! ‘I err, what does that mean or stand for?’ Not a great start, maybe it is time to leave and not return to this or for that matter any similar event ever!
That is close to how I started my networking journey. My boss suggested that I should try to attend networking events in our sector and so I went along. Everyone was older than me, their social conversations revolved around their houses, holidays, golf, fancy cars and their children. Meanwhile I had a basic company ford car, no house, no children and simply very little in common with them, except work!
However, I persevered, in part because my manager had convinced me that this was something that I should do.
In time it started to make more sense to me, networking events could lead to job opportunities, either directly offered or via a head-hunter. New friends have been made as well, I remain in contact with many people who I have met over the years.
Here are two examples of how networking has benefited me!
Example one.
After five years selling soft services into large commercial buildings, I was keen to broaden my FM knowledge and experience. At a BIFM event (BIFM now known as IWFM) I got into conversation with the MD of a small but growing FM consultancy. We bumped into each other again at an event the following month. He then invited me in for an interview, and the rest as they say is history. That opportunity (which I doubt would have come about through traditional recruitment channels) enabled me to significantly broaden my FM and Workplace experience and eight years later lead to the point where I felt confident enough to start up my own consultancy.
Example two.
So, twenty years ago I had decided to set up my own consultancy providing FM and workplace related services, including procurement. I did not have a marketing budget, nor did I set out to copy any of my past employers, who typically would maintain a list of past clients and potential future prospects and send out a newsletter every six months or so. I primarily relied on networking to meet new contacts and catch up with old ones.
To provide an example of this, at a networking event I was chatting to someone, who I knew from networking events. He told me that his company were bidding for an overseas FM project, but didn’t have anyone available to manage the process. That conversation led to sizeable assignment for me which was my first piece of international work.
Best of all is my network of contacts which proves so useful when I need to contact someone and tap into their knowledge or perhaps ask their advice.
