Helpful: A Guide to Life, Careers, and the Art of Networking

by Heather Hollick

Despite its popularity, traditional networking isn’t working. This groundbreaking book flips the classic idea of networking on its head and puts helpfulness at the center of this little-understood practice. Helpful revolutionizes what networking is, how it happens, and how we should do it. Some people believe that networking is about making the right connections to get a new job or collect social capital. Helpful reveals that networking is much more than just meeting new people; it’s about freshening and strengthening the connections with the people you already know. Readers will learn to master the ultimate networking question (and how to deal with the world’s worst networking question!), networking strategies for introverts and extraverts, the nuts and bolts of using LinkedIn to build a network, and much more.Whether you’re a natural at networking or dread it like tax day, Helpful will forever change the way you practice networking and build relationships, professional and otherwise.

282 pages, Paperback

Published February 18, 2019

About the author

As a speaker, writer, and coach, I am on a mission to make the world a better place to work. I specialize in helping individuals and organizations navigate the nuanced dimensions of organizational cultures. My first book, Helpful is designed to be a primer on building professional relationships in a meaningful way.

My work is a synthesis of all that I have lived, learned, and experienced. I grew up in Canada, spending my formative years along a river in Southern Ontario. Then I became a nomad. Since high school I have lived and worked in Canada, the United Kingdom, and across eight different US states — from the North East to the South West, with stops in Arizona, Indiana, Colorado, New Mexico, California, New Jersey, North Carolina, and now Michigan. Along the way I have led teams in such diverse organizations as Cisco Systems, United Healthcare, Blackberry, and the Pensions Department of the British Government.

I believe that everyone deserves a satisfying livelihood and a decent place to earn it. I have much work to do. As Richard Bach says so beautifully in Illusions: "Here is a test to see if your mission in life is finished: if you are alive, it isn't."

Reviews

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I illustrated the graphics in this book. But I would very much like to emphasize that I would not go out of my way to leave a review if I did not truly believe in this book's merits.

As an introvert and a person far too cozy in her comfort zone, this book was the kick in the butt that I sorely needed to take networking seriously. You hear it all the time- 70% (if not more) of jobs are gotten through networks. And it makes sense, people tend to look within their circles and prefer those that came via that route.

But people like me make all sorts of excuses- I'm too introverted, I hate socializing, it's not who I am, etc. Heather sees your excuses, acknowledges them compassionately, and leads you out of the corner you're stuck in with a well-laid path. All the advice in the world is worthless unless you know how to go about implementing it.

Also, the writing is fantastic and makes for a delightful read!

[Jeff Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be remarkably useful and a great pairing of advice and practical steps. How do you network when you are not a networker by nature? Guess what, that's something the vast majority of us have to deal with. Ms. Hollick steps in with sage career wisdom based on a successful business career and counseling others in their own careers. Also perfect gift for a friend who's looking for a way forward.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

An informative, well written and easy-to-read book about the merits and approaches to networking, both for people who are looking for work and for people who are working. I highly recommend it.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ideas for those us that are not the Otter personality.