Networking
What networking is & why it is important?
Connection
Why important?
Career choice
Job search
Career management
Business development (self-employment)
Where and how to network?
One-to-one meeting → informal conversation with a friend, family member, or co-worker to an exchange of email with a distant professional colleague to a formal appointment with someone you’ve never met.
Professional Group → conferences and conventions/ career of job fairs/ professional associations/ networking groups.
The Internet → can simply the vehicle for communicating in many of the the other networking categories/ social networks (Facebook/ Linkedn).
Education & training → great places to network.
Social/Recreational/ Community Settings → valuable contracts are made and relationships nurtured in such ordinary settings as health clubs, parties, neighborhood meetings, and many other gatherings.
Serendipity → networking is sometimes made by chance/ think of all the places in which you interact with people who might become valuable members of your network.
How to network?
Keep the following rules in mind as you adjust to networking attitude:
It takes patience
It’s a learned skill
It requires a diversified plan
How to networking in particular places
Conferences and Conventions:
Take some time at the start of the conference to study the agenda and mark the sessions and events that you want to attend.
Take time at the start of the meeting to go through the list of participants (both attendees and exhibitors) and mark the people you want to meet or re-meet.
At conference meals, try to sit with people you don’t know and with a different group at each hall.
Career Job Fairs:
Research
The early bird gets the worm
Distinguish yourself
Follow up immediately
Eateries:
Choose a convenient location
Keep the cost appropriate
Understand who should pay
Make food a secondary focus
Order food that’s easy to eat.