This week’s networking tip is all about the simple, yet powerful act of saying Thank You to the people in your professional network who help you in small ways and in big ways.

Sometimes in our busy lives we forget to do this. We neglect the important act of acknowledging other people’s kindnesses.

We are too rushed to drop them a card or email to say that their gift arrived. We don’t take those extra seconds to call them to say thank you for the article that they sent or that connection that they made for us. We forget to let them know that we finally landed a new job and that we appreciate the help they gave us in our job search.

What does it matter anyway? Everyone is busy. They know how we feel, right?

Wrong!

They don’t know and they are left wondering what happened to you. They get the impression that you don’t really care that much for them or that you are really disorganized; or maybe your momma didn’t raise you right. Do you have you no manners?

Saying thank you actively, sincerely and in a timely fashion.

This week’s networking tip is one the least expensive and most powerful things you can do on a regular basis to strengthen your networking relationships (and other relationships too.)

I was reminded of the power of this simple act by an email that I recently received from a networking connection, Janis C. Jerman. She was letting me know that she successfully landed a new job (as COO from a job board posting no less!).

In her personalized email, she thanked me for the help I had given her. I was touched by her outreach and so grateful that she wasn’t one of the hundreds of lucky job seekers who land jobs only to go M.I.A. (missing in action) to their network after starting the new job. Never to be heard from again…

I asked Janis to write an article on the lessons learned from her job search and what advice she would give to other job seekers. Consistent with Janis’ professionalism, she honored that promise and wrote the article, which you can read on my other web site: MotivatedNetworker.com – http://motivatednetworker.com/defying-the-odds-how-to-land-an-executive-position-from-a-job-board/

Below is an excerpt from Janis’ article that inspired this week’s networking tip:

Always say Thank You

When you land that perfect job, immediately notify and thank the people who were part of it. That means personal phone calls to the most immediate colleagues, family, and friends; individual personal e-mails to the next tier; and a group e-mail to the next tier of similarly situated folks (i.e. one group e-mail to the soccer team; another to the book group, etc).

Share your news, recognize the role that they played, and thank them for their support. Reach out to everyone who touched you in your job search process, even if you think you got less from them than you would have liked.

Keep the connection current and strong. You may need their product or service in your new job; they may become a client or vendor; they may be a networking connection that you can introduce to someone else in the job search; or they may become your neighbor.

– Janis C. Jerman, Chief Operating Officer at Employee Family Protection

Your networking GOAL for this week:

Every day this week, make a conscious effort to say Thank You to someone in your professional network. Practice daily acknowledgment of the time, talent and help your networking contacts provide to you in your life.  Pick up the phone, drop a note, write an email, send a motivating greeting card – just find a way to say THANK YOU. Notice how it makes you feel. Watch how it changes them. Realize that you haven’t spent a dime, yet your life has just become more enriched. Give it a try this week and then share your results with me on Facebook – NetworkingAhead.com/facebook