"It's not who you know, it's who knows you." - David Avrin
In this weeks' 'Personal Development' class, we learnt the importance of networking and why we must build our connections through networking from today on. Myself being an ambivert, I found this topic quite interesting and that got me really curious to learn more as I learned that even introverts can make better networks than extroverts. Having the best of both worlds (being an introvert and extrovert) managed me to land a job as I was in touch with someone working within my industry. Despite of making networks, this lecture taught me that quality matters more than quantity.
The term 'networking' itself sounds like something that is too much to handle. But is it really? I personally think that i'm really good at it but looking back at the opportunities I have had, I missed out on a lot. What I do find hard is being able to initiate a conversation as I feel awkward talking to a complete stranger. However, when I attempt networking with someone I tend to remember and take a note on the most inspiring aspects in their lives and start to feel elevated and motivated to do better in life. When I start a conversation during networking, I feel like I am talking to a friend, thus, making it easier for me and also making the other person feel like they're at their comfort zone. In the end, it's all about having an excellent long-lasting expression.
On the positive side of my networking style, I do extensive research on the people I am expected to meet at an event beforehand, to get an insight on their background. Conversing with people is also made easier as I challenge myself to 'break the ice' because I tend to include humor in almost every conversation with a person and thus, makes him/her feel comfortable in talking with me. In order to show that I valued the time I spent with the other party, I follow up with them through LinkedIn and various other social media platforms. On the negative aspect of networking, I assume the type of person I will be meeting due to the research background done on people, hence, I do not actively listen to their side of the story as I know information beforehand.
According to Melanie Deziel, "Arming yourself with information maximizes the chance that those conversations will be productive and memorable" (year) and this relates to me as I find it easier to make conversation based on the information found and ask meaningful questions which ensures a stronger connection as mentioning highlights of their career will make them feel valued and looked up to, hence, a two way connection is built. We build networks to either gain knowledge or secure our desired job which is why consistent follow up is important; this assures the efforts put in are fruitful (Carter,2015), I was able to secure a job for myself and my friends due to my thorough follow up with an employer who found us perfect for the job she was hiring at a different company.
To conclude on a good note, Networking can be very important to anyone, but without constant connection you could easily lose your contacts in a matter of days as they give access to opportunities that could be hard to get on your own. Networking has undoubtedly been a vital part of my life since most of my jobs I got into were all because of the rapport I built with my employer. Apart from that, to stay ahead of my game in my preferred industry; i need to be aware of the current trends and show i’m worthy enough to be on the job market and all this can be achieved by quality networking.
I believe that there is always space for growth, as good as I already am, watching TedxTalks which relate to networking and improving active listening skills (link them) will definitely help me in developing better relationships with even more high profile networks. Since this will be tips for the future, what I can do from today will be to make a pocket-sized journal of the networks that I share similar interests with and write a couple points about them which made them feel valued when spoken about, this will not only help me remember them but will also get them to be surprised by the fact that I still remember details about them which will leave a long-lasting impression.
References:
Carter, J., 2015. MultiBrief: Networking: The importance of the follow-up. [online] Exclusive.multibriefs.com. Available at: <http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/networking-the-importance-of-the-follow-up/healthcare-administration>
[Accessed 10 February 2022].
Deziel, M., n.d. 6 Things You Must Do Before Your Next Networking Event. [online] Inc.com. Available at: <https://www.inc.com/melanie-deziel/6-surefire-tips-for-making-the-most-of-your-next-networking-event.html>
[Accessed 10 February 2022].
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