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Redefining the Art of Networking

etworking is marketing. Marketing yourself, marketing your uniqueness, marketing what

you stand for. - Christine Comaford-Lynch

As adopted from www.google.com, Business Networking is a skill and a low cost method of

marketing that is used to build new business contacts through connecting with other like-minded

individuals. Business Networking is generally done through face to face meetings almost any

place or anytime.

Social capital is the most important form of capital to be possessed by emerging entrepreneurs

who are ready to go international it is also relevant for young graduates. I can speak to relevance

of this topic in China. In Chinese Culture, networking is termed “guanxi” and it is a Chinese

gem. It is the most important aspect of the Chinese society. It is the means to most ends.

Networking skills needed to be properly nurtured and developed over time. The fact that one

could speak in public does not correlate the possibility that they are good at networking. Just as

Jarod Kintz puts it, “My belief is that during conversations, it’s not so much what you say, it’s

how you say it that matters. What’s being heard is secondary to what’s being seen, as body

language leads the discussion and dictates the mood.”

Internships High School Volunteering

Language Programs Gap Year Summer Programs

Why we network our participants?

Because:

We are in a time of “career self-reliance” which means you are the manager of your career

80% of jobs are never advertised

Employers prefer to hire people they know

It can be fun!

So you can:

Gain first-hand, current information and knowledge about your world of work, which will

help you develop a job search strategy

Access experts in your field who have information about trends

Meet other professionals within your interest area

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Learn how your skills are transferable –an invaluable skill for managing your career

Increase your understanding of the job market, which will make it less intimidating

Get things done quickly

Many interns who came to china either participate in our internship, Gap Year, Language &

Immersion, High School and Volunteering Program, have the priority of settling and doing

business. This idea is good and I always encourage them to have that as priority. China has

enormous developing and emerging opportunities for young graduates and interns. This is not

possible without effective networking. It is the reason why I usually advice students who want to

pursue their internship to watch out for networking elements and get familiar with the possibility

of the promise before making commitments. The approach adopted by Go Abroad China is

laudable and I will discuss that in the following paragraphs.

Participants in our language, Internship, High School and Gap Year Programs are effectively

networked through a properly arranged medium and events serially correlated to yield very

positive results. This effort got majority of our participants hooked to permanent jobs. The

process of networking is so unique in China. The story is a little different and new entrants

should be coached properly in order to make good use of networking opportunities.

1. As part of the initial briefing, Participants are taught the art of networking, How to handle

Business cards to people on a first meeting, How to respect Hierarchy, Chinese

philosophy about networking, Which occasions are ideal for networking, The kind of

conversations to introduce and etiquette during these meetings

2. Eating and drinking are very important cultural elements of Chinese Culture and that they

come with rules and regulations. Eating and drinking times are the best markets for

getting good contacts. It sounds like an irony isn’t it? but it is real.

3. Participants are arranged to attend networking events organized by even management

organizations both in Shanghai and Beijing to practice what they were taught and to

generate list of contacts. These are general contacts.

4. The company has also generated a list of business leaders in China who have agreed to

talk with these participants at dinner

5. They facilitate relationships between interns and their superiors

6. Seminars and conferences are organized to educate them about the Chinese Business

module, How the Chinese mind works and how to do business in China

7. They also get adopted by their host families who facilitate their return to China

8. There is a very big group of famous foreign entrepreneurs in China named Lean Start up

Group and they are networked to participants such that during their meetings, they allow

Go Abroad China’s Participants to sit in and ask questions

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Because business networking is based on the building of relationships with people, it is a

ongoing and long term method of gathering business contacts and can be very effective.

*****Success Stories*********

This is what our participants got to say about our networking component

I got to China through Go Abroad China’s program in 2013. I am an

Australian, I patronized their internship program for a year. It was an awesome

moment to actually get the experience I wanted. I got placed into an

engineering company in Beijing and my goal was to lunch my career in China

since it presents opportunities to get my skills sharpened and ready for the

market. During the program, I was taught the act of impressing my boss in the

office and some networking skills. I effectively made good use of this. Before

my internship ended, I was sure that I would be maintained. There are many

things that a westerner will not take seriously and the Chinese value that. - Nick Willeke

Networking is not all about the appealing taste of the beer but the benefits. I had

the opportunity to stay in China for extra 6 months because of the important

networks I built during my internship. I am bound to return afterwards. I am

confident and has since become a new skill that I acquired in china- Andrew

The host family systems of accommodation are the first networking step even

before stepping out. They provide a window to the rest of very wealthy family

members. Networking could never be practiced properly elsewhere apart from

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China. Chinese love networking and I also love them for loving networking It is a part of Go

Abroad China package that I really enjoyed- James

I enjoyed the inner networking among alumni of Go Abroad China. After my

program, I got connected to a group of past participants who are well

knowledgeable about business in China. They helped me with very vital

information and connected me to some entrepreneurs. The experience is good

afterall- Maria

It worked for our participants and it will serve a good purpose for others too. This is a very good

approach rather than leaving the participants to their faith. I will recommend those who are

already in China without these opportunities to seek advice how they could maximize their

experiences because opportunities come but once. Watch out for the next edition about 10 tips

for effective Networking.

About the writer

Anthony Kwami

Marketing2@goabroadchina.org

The writer is the Marketing Coordinator at Go Abroad China