Nonstop Networking: How to Improve Your Life, Luck, and Career (Capital Ideas for Business & Personal Development) (Hardcover)

~ Andrea Nierenberg (Author) "Does the word networking scare you or, even worse, make you cringe?..." (more)
Key Phrases: negative networking, twelve techniques, great networkers, New York, Andrea Nierenberg (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...one of the best easy-read books I’ve encountered recently." -- Barbara Bowes, Winnipeg Free Press

"For anyone interested in expanding his or her circle of contacts, ‘Nonstop Networking’ is a must-read." -- Bill Quinnan, Orange County Register

"Nierenberg offers several techniques for approaching a room full of strangers and the communications skills necessary to approach them." -- Fresno Bee

"She discusses the behaviors that do more harm than good and explains the right way to cultivate contacts." -- Ann Kadet, Smart Money

Product Description

"The Queen of Networking" reveals her secrets for making long-lasting, positive, professional and personal contacts!  Book reveals a new and refreshing approach to networking based on mutual benefits rather than personal gains.

 Author is a successful consultant and speaker with Fortune 500 clients, and is frequently quoted in national and international news media and in major business and career publications.

Does the word "networking" make you cringe? Maybe that is why many shy away from the very skill that can help them personally and professionally. In Nonstop Networking author and personal marketing consultant, Andrea Nierenberg, reveals unique and easy-to-use strategies for linking-up with people in order to achieve mutual personal and professional goals. Based on five simple steps, Andrea’s system is different from other networking techniques in that it focuses on comfortable and familiar techniques for building relationships and not on handing out business cards and asking for referrals. Readers will discover positive ways to network anywhere, any time and the secret of how to build relationships that will improve their life, luck, and career. Learn twelve techniques to use when approaching a room full of strangers, master eight sure-fire communications skills, discover the types of people you need in your network (and that may already be a part of your circle of contacts.) Are you shy or introverted? Learn networking techniques that capitalize on your natural abilities. Are you anxious about keeping track of all your contacts? Andrea presents an elegantly simple system for organizing and staying in touch with everyone in your network. Easy to read with many examples of personal success stories throughout, Nonstop Networking is a must have for recent graduates, job seekers, career changers, consultants, entrepreneurs, or anyone with a personal or professional goal to achieve.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Capital Books; 1 edition (September 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892123924
• ISBN-13: 978-1892123923
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #411,391 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Waiting for more, November 7, 2004

By	Jason P. Sweeney "Attorney Reviewer" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I purchased this book based on the multiple 5-star reviews. Now that i have read the book,I have the following comments:

The bottom line is that this book DOES have a few good networking pointers. Unfortunately, I found that much of the book contains fairly straight-forward advice, for example things like "listen with your inner ear" when talking to others, be "caring," etc.

Also note that the book is 170 pages, but is printed in double-space and large font, and the width of many of the 5-inch wide pages is further reduced by a second 2-inch internal margin in which is printed special notes and call outs. In short, this book is a lot shorter than it lets on. I would guess its a 50 page book in standard font, single space, etc. Not that this is bad, just know what your getting when you buy it.

I don't want to be too negative however. The author deserves credit for giving good advice on how to organize contracts into certain groups to help target networking strategies. The use of gifts in maintaing one's netowrk, and several other tips on staying connected to contacts. I particularly found Chapters 7 ("Keeping your Network Alive and Growing") and 9 ("Organizing and Keeping Track of Your Network") particularly helpful. I hope there will be more of this type of advice in her next book (*See comments below).

I am still waiting for a straight-forward networking book that remains focused on techniques and strategies instead of abstact (and largely unhelpful) advice on "speaking with enthusiasm and energy." The latter type of comments, while important, can be dealt with in a single "etiquette/demeanor" chapter.

An annoying feature of this book is the "I have a friend name Charlie who..." approach to discussing the subject matter. An alarming amount of authors have now embraced the idea of introducing us to "friends" of theirs in each chapter of the book to expose the reader to different concepts. Personally, I find this method patronizing and unrealistic. It would be a lot more helpful for the author to write a chapter that starts out: "I interviewed 10 people, each of whose networking skills I admire. Their techniques had the following in common: [list]. Although, their individual styles varied in the following respects: [list]." "One method that my associate Charlie uses that I found particularly useful was ______. I personally use this technique but have modified it as follows:_________." "I was reported to me that ______ didn't work very well because _______." Etc.

Update: After I initially published this review, Ms. Nierenberg (the author) sent me an e-mail responding to my comments here on Amazon. She tactfully took issue with the "negativity" of my review. I went home and reflected on my comments and agreed with the author that my comments were too "negative." I have since amended the review above to be more constructive. I also note that Ms. Nierenberg told me that this book was intended as a starting point (a kind of "cliff notes" for networking) and that she was working on a second, more comprehensive book. I look forward to reading the second book, and I will post my review of that one as well.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A More Expansive View of Networking, December 27, 2002

By	Michael Faulkner (Piscataway, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

Most people have at least functional understanding of personal networking they generally have some idea gained from personal experience, training or instinct.
What is not apparent to most people, even those who are networking aficionados, is the depth and breath of the cumulative impact of personal networking on our socio economic individual lives, as well as that of our local and regional communities.
Andrea begins to bring this broader vision and role of networking to us with her conversational style approach.
Andrea clearly and precisely describes the process by which a person can enhance their life by the use of networking. Andrea's style shows she understands how hard it is for people to learn and practice networking today. The prerequisite skills of good networking are not intuitive and are not part of most formal education experiences so her work in this book is serving a fundamental need for thousands who will benefit by reading and practicing the skills.
For people without the basic networking skills - here they are.
For people with some of the skills and a desire to develop them further - here is the way.
For people who believe in networking and want a better understanding of networkings' deeper role of a micro building block of a macro socio economic structure - here it is.
Nonstop Networking has become one of the books I keep close by for ready reference.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad..., March 1, 2006

By	I.M. "Ian" (N.Y.C.) - See all my reviews

This book is relatively helpful, however, it

reminds me of term papers I'd written at the

age of 15 or so, where I'd desperately try

to increase line spacing and tighten up the

margins, in an effort to get my closing

paragraph to fall onto the 5th page, or the

7th page, or whatever the required paper

length was.