The Business Exchange Bath & Somerset Issue 15: Spring 2020 | Page 39

Get Connected: The importance of networking We chatted to Sam Laite, owner of FWD Thinking Recruitment and co-founder of the Marketers of Bath networking group (MOB) about why networking can be key to business success. How has networking helped your business? Networking has helped enormously, by being able to spend time and really get to know key people in the industry. Whether they are interested in looking at potential new career opportunities in the immediate future is almost irrelevant. Once a strong connection has been developed it may be another 6-12 months before they tap me on the shoulder and ask about a change of role. Networking tends to generate much more quality referrals, so it’s not necessarily just about who’s attending the networking events, but who else are those people connected to and are willing to refer and recommend. Where do you network? I’m fortunate enough to co-host the Marketers of Bath (MOB) networking event. We are in our third year having launched in 2018 and so far the interaction and engagement within the group has been exceptional. What’s special about MOB? MOB seems to work so well as the group has a really strong identity and focus on the marketing sector. By keeping the invite list extremely niche, we have managed to create an environment in which marketers can share best practice and thought leadership on a range of topics that are relevant to their every-day roles and careers. interested in their journey and can potentially add value in some way then the relationship is likely to grow. What’s the biggest piece of work you’ve won from networking? Now that spring has sprung and Brexit is confirmed, are you seeing a pick-up in jobs coming into the marketplace? It depends on your point of view! I was lucky enough to meet Sian Swift, Business Development Manager, at The Business Exchange at a networking lunch early on after setting up FWD. This has over time led to significant involvement in The Business Exchange, which in turn has generated a host of opportunities at various networking events across the region, as well as personal introductions and referrals - not to mention great exposure in the media platforms on and offline. So maybe I owe Sian a decent lunch! What top tips would you give others in terms of networking and building a referral network? My guiding principal is choose your events to attend carefully based on the subject matter and likely attendees (we are spoilt in Bath with a plethora of great events, so that’s the hard part). Once you’ve done that, just be yourself and enjoy meeting new people – if you are genuinely Yes, to a degree. It’s not quite as buoyant as the second half of 2019 yet, but the early signs are that this will develop into another very strong year for those looking to take their career forward and explore opportunities outside of their current organisation. Are there any particular roles you’re trying to fill at the moment? The hunt for eCommerce talent shows no sign of slowing down, but in general I think companies are continuing to hire on a more holistic view of the individual, not just being an expert in their chosen field. So it’s well worth brushing up on your networking skills, as it can absolutely help you! To connect with Sam email: [email protected] or call: 01225 436 229 THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2020 39