I had a networking-connection-generated interview totally backfire on me. I had a phone interview and killed it. The interviewer loved me. I felt great. They had scheduled 30 minutes, the phone interview ended at 50 minutes. Great signs all around...
... until ...
... the question, "How much do you want to make?" was asked. Now, my networking contact gave me a range he believed they'd be willing to pay. Which is what I was looking to make. So I confidentally pitch out the number. Thank you... and... good niiiiiiiiii...
... WHAT?!?!?!?!
... What the hell just happened?
... What's that gasp on your end of the conversation for?
... Why do you suddenly sound tense?
... F*CK! The number was to damn high. I just freaking embarrassed myself. This isn't my fault. NETWORKING CONTAAAAAAAAACT!
As I sat there realizing what happened, I was stunned. How did this go so wrong so quickly? Basically a massive WTF happened as I realized I was going to have to go back to DeltaHouse in the morning sans hope... again.
But it also got me thinking about networking. There are no rules to networking. There's etiquette, but no real actual rules. So I'm going to take a shot at some rules to networking. Here's five that I came up with...
DISCLAIMER: PLEASE feel free to agree, disagree, add, update, or delete these rules. Maybe this could be THE preeminent networking list of rules.
By networking with a person, I signify that I understand the following...
1) ... unless we've been friends for a while, that any contact from you will be related to growing your business, job contacts, or promoting something for your business.
2) ... The Godfather Rule applies. In the movie The Godfather a man (Enzo? The baker? Was that has name?) asks Don Corleone for a favor (no, not Johnny Fontaine, the first guy). Don Corleone agrees to the request and in return he says that there could be a day - but this day may never come - where the Don asks for a favor in return, and the favor must be granted immediately. This rule applies to networking, if I ask you to do me a favor. And later on (years from then, even) if you ask me to do a favor, I'm honor-bound to do such a favor. And vice versa.
3) ... If something goes bad (interview, business deal, etc.), and I messed it up, I owe you an explanation and an apology. You put your neck out there for me, and I messed it up. Let's be professional here. The same is true in reverse. I'd love my networking contact to explain to me WTF happened with the phone interview, but no dice. He's been in hiding. I'd rather just hear what happened. I'm not mad, I just want closure.
4) ... If the networking contact produce something for you (a job, a business deal, a new connection, a new friend, etc.) you owe them a thanks. It could be a thank you note. If it's a job or a business deal, I'd hope it'd be more. If the networking contact's job interview hook-up had paid off, I was prepared to send a few bottles of wine over to him at his office as a thanks. And if any job comes through a networking contact, I'll gladly get somebody some wine courtesy of the VHRG!
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3 comments:
No need to be embarrassed if the number was in the market range for the type of work. That kind of thing happens -- hopefully they told you what their range was and you were able to tell them if it was one you'd consider or not. If it wasn't, then the job wouldn't have worked out anyway, and if it was, no major harm done, as long as you were able to let them know that.
The character you're referencing in The Godfather was the Undertaker, Amerigo Bonasera.
I never understand why an interviewer asks for expected salary ranges before an offer is made. It's starting the negotiation when you have no leverage since you could low ball yourself or put yourself out of the market.
I realize that it's a screening technique but if the company pays market rates, why would they need this to screen? Salary expectation shouldn't be an issue (unless we're talking executive positions where market rates vary)
This question makes me question the company.
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