Old School Networking + eSchool Networking = High Network Quotient

My first week as an Executive Search Consultant in the insurance industry (nearly a decade ago) I went to a conference in Arizona.  At a break, I introduce myself to the keynote speaker and I told him that I had just begun my career.  We spent about 20 minutes talking in the conference center.

Later he introduced me to the Chief Editor of the magazine that sponsored the conference. 

A few months later I received a call from the Director of the Department of Insurance at a major university who was writing an article about the recruitment and retention of insurance professionals.  The editor of the magazine suggested he give me a call to get some quotes for the piece.

This Director and I were then asked to speak at the next national conference on the topic.  We were brought back for two more years.

At one of these conferences I met a manager from Ohio who gave my card to his VP in Philadelphia who asked me to do some recruiting for one of his RVP's in California, which I did.

A few years later, the universtiy Director introduced me to the VP of a company in Illinois who asked me to recruit a Director.  I called the RVP in California who had since moved to a different company.  He wound up taking the job and moving to Illinois.

I had to hammer the phone, network in person, travel, speak nationally, and do all the traditional marketing to develop this high network quotient.

This was great networking ... Old School!

What is the 2009 version.  Blog from home, twitter, connect on LinkedIn, read others blogs and comment, and along the way meet for coffee.  This means less cold calling, less travel, more quality time with people, more fun, and better results.  This is eSchool networking.

To have a High Network Quotient, master both.