Power of Networking for Designers

When it comes to networking, it is most underrated word because lot of designers really don't get this and they don't really take it very seriously. Also because of lot many reasons. There has been a big misconception in our schooling system in our education college office. Like talking to a stranger is something really new and it is normally be safe, don't talk to strangers. That's how we've been what call grown up from the school days and college days. Right. That habit keeps us long and we don't really mingle with a lot of people. This particular podcast is really going to tell you why networking and design particularly is very, very important and how effectively you can do it. Okay, let's dive into this topic. Welcome guys. Welcome, welcome. Thank you. Stay. Thank you for staying Tuning in with in Design for Change podcast and today the big topic, and let's say I would say it is the most vital thing every people needs to know is actually networking. With respect to designers, let me address this first, because networking, it's in itself is not being taught in any schools, it's not been taught in any formal education system. A lot of people really think of mingling with other people, but they don't know exactly how to do it. Okay, the second part of this podcast is going to address that. First let us see why it is important. Let me tell you guys, we have to look at the nature to really get a clarity why this networking is really important and why do we have to really take it very seriously. Look at the nature, how the trees, plants and the ecosystem and the forest grows. Have you ever absorbed it? Have you ever understood how it has happened? It is not working on something independently. It is working on something called interdependently. That means plants and trees and everything under underground supply. The roots and interconnect with the other trees so that the one nutrition from the other tree goes to the other nutrition and there is another tree which is having a less amount of water or nutrition. The other tree supplies it and it identifies the needs and help each other. Nature really does not take any kind of a training or any kind of a podcast and all it does its own because nature very clearly knows if you are independent, if you are interdependent, only we can grow and really become successful, right? For them the success is different. For us the success is different. So evolution of nature, if you look at it very carefully, people and communities and many kind of animal system and many species of human have really successfully evolved because of networking. They don't how to Effectively communicate with the particular band or group. Like before 20, 30,000 years ago it was called banned. It was called species. Like we are currently Homo sapiens. And before that there were a lot of species, Neanderthals and a lot of Homo intrinsic. There are a lot of different different names. I even can't even imagine. So there are hundreds of different human bands who have lived. So how certain bands have become so successful is because of networking. They know how exactly communicate to other people. They know how exactly they can help each other. They know how exactly to get the help and also to help others. So this is a skill which has been already ingrained in us. Nobody needs to teach us. Only thing is we need to be aware. We need to be more conscious in applying these things. And why it is not taught in the school because nobody knows it. People who have exactly known it, they would have taught it to you, right? People don't know it, that's why they are not able to teach you. Even our parents, even our friends, even our relatives. So it is very vital to really understand this and particularly with respect to design. Design is already a very niche community. Lot of people don't really take up this field. Only few designers are there. When you take a company like thousands of people only there are handful of designers. So that much of proportion only we have as a design community. So if we are not helping each other by communicating and networking, then how can we grow? It's not just for getting jobs and other things. Guys. Networking is also to build your ideas, to build your thought process, to change your perspectives, to challenge yourself and come out of that comfort zone and get to know what is happening in the other design spaces. When you are a product designer, you need to talk to graphic designer. When you are a UI UX designer, you need to talk to exhibition designer, you need to talk to multimedia designer, you need to talk to animation designer. So networking in design is very, very important to really cross pollinate and help each other in terms of building the perspectives. Let me reiterate guys, independent is not the trend. Interdependent is the trend. What I've quoted you from the nature as plant and trees help each other underground. Not telling anybody. We will have to help each other to understand what does other people need and support each other. Okay, so this is the importance of having networking, particularly with respect to design. And also if you wanted to get a global perspective and also if you wanted to really understand how you can make a career switch or how you can go into an excellent career, which is more Promising or how you can really sustain your freelancing business with your clients continuously in order to get more projects. Networking is a major, major thing. You need to know how to talk to people. You need to know how to exactly hook them. You need to know how to exactly maintain that relationship. And you need to know how to help them. It's always about helping more. When it comes to networking, the big secret is you need to help 10 times more than the person who is going to help you. If you operate with this particular principle, you will be able to build stronger relationship, not just asking people for referrals. That's what people call it as networking. Right. That's completely misconception. And that's why you feel very guilty when you go and talk to people. So networking is something building relationship for your lifetime. Okay, so this is the important. Now let's understand how to exactly do it. A lot of people ask me this question, how exactly I can network, how I can exactly build my, what you call a relationship. Let me tell you guys, the first step is actually building your online presence. Today we are in the digital world. It's must to do that. We need to have a website, we need to have a LinkedIn page, Facebook page, Instagram page, Instagram, Facebook. Normally we have, but what we don't have is a professional LinkedIn page. Not a joke page, it's a professional LinkedIn page and a very good branded personal website uploading all your work. The second thing what you can do is you can have a WhatsApp communication with the people. You can have a Facebook communication, Telegram communication, Instagram. You can directly message them like a dm. Right? So whenever you're meeting some people, whenever you're meeting some designers in the industry, or whenever you're going and talking to different strangers, you can have a network of them. Hey. Hi. So you've been working here as an entrepreneur. So you start up this. Okay, very good. Hi, I'm Jagdish. So and so. So can I have an interaction with you? I just wanted to understand, be curious. When you're going and talking to new people, people, that is the first important element. When you are able to develop this curiosity, people will be more interested to talk to you. The big secret to talk to other people is you need to be more curious and you need to be more empathetic listener. See you. You will not be expecting this because this is a major important skill to build strong relationship and network. If you're empathetically listening to people, people will be more happy to share information with you. People would be more happy to help you in terms of that because you are hearing them and then you're helping them also. Right. So in turn you should also find an opportunity how you can help them. It's not just you're curiously listening to and then you're taking it. You need to also ask them, hey, how can I help you? Okay, you need this kind of information from this industry. Yeah. My friend is also working there. Yeah. My cousin is also working there. Yeah, my brother is working there. I'll ask them. Yeah. Can you give me a contact? Yes. You'll have to save them, you'll have to message them. So this is the way you can engage socially also with them through social media network. And you need to break that initialized break. Okay. And the third important thing is you can create groups, you can create some kind of a community chat or maybe you can have a broadcast group in your WhatsApp telegram or whatever. You can send some occasional festival messages. You can send, don't send everyday, hi, good morning and all. That's not the point. You'll have to really find out a good information which is pertainingly information useful for them. You'll have to send them like let's say if they're entrepreneurs, if they're. If they are freelancers. So you can segregate them. If they are just casual design students, you can segregate them. And then you need to have an interaction with everybody. Guys, it's not like if you're a designer, you only talk to experienced designer. No, you should talk to juniors, you should talk to seniors, you should talk to senior, you should talk to what you call entrepreneurs. You should talk to some of the big designers in the industry. So you should be able to network with different people. That flow should come with you then and only you can able to really have a very good, healthier relationship in the design community. Because we don't know very good information and help can come from different people. And you can also engage in a very good relationship with anybody. And same goes for the other person also. So you should create some groups, you should text them when a festival comes or when an important information which may be helpful for them or any kind of what you call design opportunities are coming, you can refer them. So they would be also more happy to return that favor. The fourth is you need to talk to a lot of hrs. See guys, the fourth and fifth point is very important. Fourth is every day you should talk to one hr for the next 21 days. If you really wanted to build a very good network in design. Do this guys, because listening to this podcast will not change you anything. You need to take action and this action is very simple. You need to talk to one HR regarding to Design Studio. I need to talk to one designer. Do it consistently for 21 days. You will have 42 people in your network. That is more than sufficient to really have a successful career. Guys, just 21 days, each and every day, one single person. Go to LinkedIn, find a recruiter, just call them and talk to them. Go to LinkedIn, find a designer. Or maybe in Facebook or something. Or maybe in your, in your college senior, or maybe somebody, maybe a junior. Just talk to one designer. Say hi, hi, I'm Jagdish. I'm just improving a new habit of networking. I just wanted to have a discussion with you. So and moreover, my intention is to really help you more. Because if I'm helping you, definitely I'll be able to have a good relationship with you. Because I'm really poor in networking. I'm. I'm using this opportunity to healthy talk to you. And also if you feel any kind of a doubts in designer, if you wanted to clarify applications or any kind of a support, you can definitely ask me because I'll be your friend. Just go and voluntarily tell them. Yeah, some people may turn up, some people might not turn up. That's why the quantity is very important when you do networking. Okay, Some people will say, hey, yeah, I'm interested. We can have a conversation, no problem. So what are you doing? So you're a designer. Okay, you're learning design. Okay, so I have a doubt in something like figma. Can you just help me out? Yeah, I have a doubt in building portfolio. Can you just help me? This kind of a people will come. Some people will not be very interested. Okay, you can leave them, you can just chat them in. AN occasion comes, no problem. If you're able to voluntarily help them, a lot of people will be more interested. So build that relationship and you can also help each other. Okay, so next 21 days you can follow up 21 hrs and 21 designers. Guys, this is a great habit which you can build anything. When you do for 21 days, it becomes a strong habit for you. Okay? And the fifth important element is you can talk to people after your interviews. You can talk to designers after you send your work. Feedback is a very important thing to build a good relationship. Feedback is the most underrated word. Also guys, see whenever you're attending interview, if the HR says hey, okay, we'll get back to you. That means it's very clear you're not selected. Let's say if your HR is saying no, we'll. We'll see later. Right now there is no opportunities. You are not fit for this role. Just stop them and then just ask them. Hi. Okay. I. I really appreciate your feedback, Mr. HR. Thank you for sharing me openly with that. Can I just understand what is the reason for my rejection? Can I just understand the clarity so that I would be more happy to improve that in the future. Can you give me a minute to explain that people don't ask this. People are very scared to ask this feedback. And whenever you're sharing some design work also with your other designers, please ask them. Hey, can you just tell me what are the three good things and what are the three improvements which I can make? People would be happy to give you that. And you cannot assume. Nobody will give you. You should first ask him before asking. You cannot assume. Hey, how people will react here when I ask this. Lot of people don't do networking because of this poor habit thinking. They're thinking their own assumptions like nobody will help them. No, that's not the case. When you talk to people and ask them feedback, people will be happily giving you feedback. And you know what guys, the surprising thing is that person will not forget you because you respected them. And then you're asking them, right? See, some people will not be very happy to tell you. They'll be very hesitant. Leave them. It's okay. Say thank you. Okay, no problem. Just ask them the feedback and then you save their contact. And then you put it in your WhatsApp group and Telegram group and send them some occasional messages and thank them for their feedback. Same goes for the design people who are giving you a project feedback, your portfolio feedback. So this is how you can build your network by feedback. And the big secret behind networking is you should talk to person as if you know him lot of years, right? You should talk to people as if you know them for a lot of years. You should talk to the people like you like. The person most. Most. Most. What you call favorite person of your world. How will you talk to the most favorite person? How will you talk to the person whom you know for years? Same attitude and mindset you need to install when you talk to people. When you talk to new stranger Jagdish. How is it possible? Yes guys, it's possible. Install that mindset. I learned it from my mentor when he taught me that you need to install that mindset like like you need to feel like as if you know that person very well. You need to talk to that person as if you know him for years. As if he is the best favorite person of your friend. So talk to that guy with that intention. You know what will happen. The magic is the same thing you will get in return. That person will also resonate with you. He will not treat you like a stranger at all. I have applied this principle and many people have told me, jagdish, you made me happy. In just 5, 10 minutes talking to you, I feel really happy. I mean normally I don't talk to people yet, but I don't know, I opened up very much with you. It's because of this technique what I applied. It's not because of any kind of a magic that I learned. I just tuned this flip mindset and then I tuned them. Okay, okay. My best friend is like, let's say my best friend is Alfie. My best friend is Raj. Okay? So I used to talk to them like, hey, hey, come guys. Hey, what's up? Hey, hey. I don't feel any kind of a shy or something like that, right? So I apply the same kind of a mindset to that person. Boy, girl, senior, junior, no problem. You just have to break that barrier and talk to them. You will amazingly build a great network, guys. And you won't believe just now I was having a train travel and there was two people sitting in front of me. Next to my left, next to my right. One he's a working person and the other one is also a working woman. So both of them I talked to and then I shared some food with them and they also shared their food and we had a very good conversation for 2, 3 hours. She shared her Japan experience and this guy shared his experience working in Ireland. I was sharing my experience working in India and Germany. So this is how you network. I definitely don't know who this persons are. Both of them had their contacts and I also had a chat with them. I was really happy. So I'm just quoting you. I just used to network with lot many people when I travel in bus, when I travel in train, when I travel in flight, when I travel in any kind of a transport or when I talk to different, different people. I really feel that. So you need to apply this guys, then you will be able to attract a lot more people. And the sixth way, the seventh way you can network is you can talk to your alumni, you can talk to your different, different college seniors and juniors and you can participate in events. You can participate in design conferences. So these kind of things will open up a lot with you. When you go and register for the Alumini network, you will tend to see 502,000 people already there whom can really ask and help each other. In our, in our alumni network. In my bachelor's college there is a website where our seniors have built which is called Architects, Engineers, Designers, marketers, Sales. So different people are working in different industry. Right? So when you go and talk to people, when you are able to, okay, I need some kind of a support in sales. So people would be happy to go and people would be happy to give you that information. Hey. Hi senior. I believe you are three, four years seniors to me. I know I don't have no idea. I've talked to you before. I saw you are registered in RMD network and you are from sales background. So right now I'm interested to go into sales. Can you just tell me and give me some tips or if you want to go into engineering background, if you want to go into art background so people will be more happy to give you the feedback. See, this is the power of registering in different communities so that you tend to talk to different different people in a more vibrant way. And same goes for when you're registering for a conference, when you're registering for a what you call event fairs. It's a great opportunity guys. Okay. And the other one is you can register in any online design communities so people will be more happy to give you design related feedbacks. And you can build strong network. You can go and talk to different freelancers, you can go and talk to different entrepreneurs in design, even go and talk to different designers who are working in multiple industries. And this is how you can improve your networking. Guys, I've given you eight powerful principles. First is LinkedIn and personal website. Second is directly messaging them through social media platforms. Third is you can build some groups and chat with them occasionally. And fourth is you can talk to one HR1 designer continuously for next 21 days and network them. And the fifth is you can ask feedback with the designers and other people and HRS who are rejecting you or recruiting you so that you can build a relationship with them and later you can follow it up with them. On the 6th is you can talk to person with an attitude of he's your very favorite person, he's your most interested person and you know him for years. And the seventh is you can go and talk to your alumni, participate in events, conference. And the eighth is you can join in online design communities like Behance Dribble Pinterest. You can get a lot more confident. Guys. So this is the point and if you're able to apply it, you will see lot more things happening. Guys, guys, I hope you like this podcast. Thank you for staying tuning in with me. If you need my support in mentoring for design programs, you, you can hit that email and I'll be happy to help you guys. Okay? Thank you so much guys. Thank you so much. All the best. Bye Bye. It.