The Art of Networking: A Learner's Perspective

Hello Bloggie!

One of the most common things in my life right now is networking. The question of networking and making connections comes up frequently. People are constantly talking about the benefits of networking and I often wonder… does that mean I haven’t been doing this right/never done this?

Agonizing over this (of course), I realized I had been networking all my life! All my family, friends, professors, and colleagues are my connections!  It took time and effort to build relationships with these people. There were awkward moments, there have been letters of recommendations, sharing of news, life updates and so much more. Why then is the word “networking” so foreign and intimidating to me? It’s because this new “networking”, is networking with a purpose. I am no longer just taking classes with my professors and working to get good grades. Now I am interested in the work you do and what caliber of people you know that could help me develop my career. And if we've never met, I am making strides to meet you because there’s a desired outcome: information, a job offer, job opportunities, career and life advice, and help meeting other people.

While I strongly believe that a networking class incorporated into a handful of courses taken before graduation will be very helpful, I also know that there are some things that are better learnt than taught. This might be one of those (with some well-seasoned pointers and experiences, one will get the hang of it). Since there were no classes incorporated in my curricula, I’m taking a crack at this right now and let me tell you my belly hasn't felt this much discomfort since… well… ever! But along the line (note that I’ve only been focusing on this networking aspect of my life for the last 6 months) I have learnt some things that I thought I should share with you.

Here they are:

Understand Yourself: Take time out of your busy (or not so busy) schedule to find out what your interests are. Read articles on fields you think might interest you. If you can do internships and volunteer, go for it! There are too many interesting things in the world but you need to be happy with your career choice so get to know yourself. The best teacher in life is experience and it definitely teaches you things you would never do. Think of what you want to accomplish in life and consider taking baby steps.

Start From Within: If you’re in school, get to know your professors. They are full of vital information and have tons of experiences (usually) so use them! I can’t tell you how much getting to know my professors really helped me grow professionally and mentally (at least when they’re around). Once they know what things interest you, they keep you in mind when opportunities arise. They ensure that their contacts are aware that they have good candidates. But the first step has to come from you. They won’t automatically know what you want unless you tell them. Do the same with your friends and family. You'll be amazed that they too can know people that you'll need. The only thing preventing this connection is that they don't know what you are interested in. 

Invest In Your Contacts: If and when you get to meet someone new, do the same thing you would do with your professors and friends. Tell them what interests you have and sell yourself like you’re the best human ever (my salesmanship still needs a ton of tweaking). Get to know them too. If you can research them, do that and that way you have things to refer to in conversation. If you can’t research them, ask them about their work and career path. I guarantee that’s a great conversation starter. When sending out an e-mail to your new contacts, check your messages well for grammatical errors. If you cannot be bothered to check your grammar, why should they given you there time? Get it? Okay.

Don’t Lose Touch Once You Make A Connection: It might not seem to be yielding fruit immediately, but all good things take time. Never let more than a month go by without a word to your connection. You want to always remain fresh in their minds no matter what (especially if you’re shooting for a job offer). Do not expect that every connection will lead to an immediate job offer. It might take a year, a week, a month or even 5 years for that connection to bear the fruit that it should. Do not despair.

Enjoy Meeting People: Lastly, just enjoy it. You never know where the wind might blow and how one person’s life story will influence your career path. I know I’m enjoying it and it’s helping me reevaluate my life.

I’m still learning Bloggie and if I learn more, I’ll be sure to let you know.

Adios Bloggie!

Tonia