{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Think Like A Gardener","description":" On this episode, I talk about something that comes up all the time in my coaching sessions with MBA students\u2014and that\u2019s networking. I've talked about it before on the podcast on episode 1202 "Reframe the way you think about networking and asking for help" I'll drop a link in the show notes.  I encourage you to go back and give that one a listen.   As generative AI has proliferated on both sides of the job search with candidates using it to submit more and more customized applications, and recruiters using it to filter through piles of hundreds or thousands of applicants, relationships are once again increasingly important in learning about opportunities before they are public, and securing interview invites.   So many job seekers have what I call the hunter\/gatherer mindset in their job search: they scour job boards for opportunities, and submit applications.  I would encourage anyone in an active job search -- or anyone who thinks they might be in an active job search in the next 6 to 18 months, to adopt what I call the gardener mindset.   Let\u2019s dig in. (no pun intended)   If you\u2019re like many MBA students\u2014or honestly, professionals at any stage\u2014you may have a complicated relationship with networking. You know you\u2019re supposed to do it. You\u2019ve heard it's important. But maybe it feels awkward. Transactional. A little sleezy even. I picture Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho with his heavy-bond embossed business card.   Maybe you don\u2019t want to \u201cbother\u201d people. Or maybe you're waiting until you have a clear goal or ask before reaching out. I get it. That hesitation is totally normal. But here\u2019s the thing\u2014networking is not a one-time transaction. It\u2019s not about reaching out only when you need something. It\u2019s not just about collecting contacts on linkedin like pokemon cards. Networking\u2014effective, sustainable, authentic networking\u2014is about building relationships over time. That\u2019s where the gardener mindset comes in.   Imagine you're a gardener. You don\u2019t just toss seeds into the dirt one day and expect to harvest a salad the next.   You prepare the soil. You plant a variety of seeds. You water them. You protect them from frost. You wait. You come back to check on them. Sometimes they sprout. Sometimes they don\u2019t. Different plants mature on different schedules. Some may require years before you are ready to harvest anything.   The same is true for relationships in your professional life. When you meet someone at an event, or reach out for a coffee chat\u2014you\u2019re planting a seed. Having that conversation is watering it. Following up with an authentic note is watering it. Another follow up after you took some advice they gave you\u2026 is watering it Sharing an article or podcast with them, or  an update on your journey\u2014that\u2019s watering it.   When you refer someone else to them, or cheer on their LinkedIn update\u2014that\u2019s tending the garden.   You\u2019re not always sure which seeds will grow or when they\u2019ll bloom. But if you keep showing up, nurturing those relationships, you\u2019ll start to see the garden take shape. And here\u2019s the beautiful thing: relationships compound over time. Opportunities, referrals, mentorship\u2014they often emerge from the people you\u2019ve been in touch with for years, not just weeks. But you have to invest in those relationships before you \u201cneed\u201d them.     So how do you network like a gardener? It's like the old saying, when's the best time to plant a tree? 20 years ago. When's the second best time? Today.  So Here are a few quick tips: Start early.  Plant the seeds now. Just like a health garden will be diverse, you need a diverse strategy: reach out to current contacts, reconnect with old contacts, attend events to make new contacts. Be curious, not transactional. Ask questions about their path. Their decision points. What they\u2019ve learned. I love Steve Dalton's TIARA framework for informational interviews, that stands for asking questions about Trends, Insights, Advice, Recommendations, and Assignments they are working on. Listen to my conversation with Steven, I'll drop a link in the show notes. Follow up thoughtfully. A quick note saying \u201cThanks again, I found your advice helpful\u201d and specifically name what was helpful! A personal message -- it doesn't have to be long -- will go a long way. Give back when you can. Share an article. Introduce someone. Celebrate their wins. Ask them if there is anything you can do for them in return. That kind of reciprocity can build rapport. Track your outreach. Not to be mechanical\u2014but to stay organized. Relationships grow with attention. Especially when you are in a more active phase of your search, develop a system for tracking your contacts. This can be as simple as a spreadsheet, or something more robust like a CRM.   Networking isn\u2019t about having the perfect pitch--or heavy bond, embossed business card. It\u2019s about building trust, credibility, and rapport. It\u2019s about investing in people and communities over time\u2014knowing that some of those relationships will blossom into opportunities in ways you can\u2019t predict right now. So as you move through your MBA, or any career transition, I invite you to think like a gardener. Be patient. Be intentional. Keep planting. Keep watering.   And trust that the harvest will come. ","author_name":"Conversations on Careers and Professional Life","author_url":"http:\/\/conversationsoncareers.com","html":"