Connections vs's Networks →

Networking RSS

Networking is about knowing more people. Connecting is about understanding people, but it requires more. You join when you take time to listen to someone else and feel genuine empathy for them—helping someone else out of unconditional goodwill—offering sincere gratitude to another, and receiving appreciation from others—catching a stranger’s eye resulting in both of you smiling. Both parties to the connection care about the other one.

The distinction is obvious. You know many people professionally and personally, but you are connected to only a fraction of those you know.

The definition of networking is interacting with other people to exchange information and develop contacts, especially to further one's career. Networking is an activity. It is an activity that can be acted upon with great or little success.

The best goal of networking is to develop contacts and connections.

Sometimes Your “Connections Wanted” Will Find You

Algorithms read the SEOs off online posts and profiles, and if you make it clear what you are qualified to do and what your skills are, it is indeed possible for the best network connection to actually find you.

Virtual networking works, but the challenge may come later →

Networking RSS

Traditionally, networking was intended to allow us to stay in touch, not lose valuable contacts and friends, and build new relationships.

The Pandemic has forced us to find new ways to network other than face-to-face contacts. The new norm is virtual networking, and it is already clear that solid connections can be gained even faster, in some cases, using this approach. The isolation that people find themselves in is a highly effective motivator to get them to reach out to make contacts. The duplicate vital contacts that used to be so hard to fit in a short meeting seem more willing to have a new face to talk to online. Zoom and FaceTime seemed to have opened some doors. It is stressful to live without human contacts, so we often push ourselves to connect in whatever way we can, primarily virtual.

Now that we are forced to find a virtual way of networking and, in many cases, surprised by the new relationships we have seen, the challenge will be to nurture these contacts and not lose them going forward.

Have you been "PAYING IT FORWARD" as part of your networking plan? →

Networking RSS

Looking for a job? You need your network more than ever before. Networks require attention and work to be effective.

Decide who your network is and pick your best contacts. Past co-workers, especially those that moved on before you, past supervisors, owners, competitors, customers, suppliers. Ask yourself how can you be of value to these people. When something happens that you know one of your contacts would have an interest in then send them a note about it. This is what “Paying it Forward’ is all about. If you just develop the habit of doing this it will appreciated as being sincere because that is what it will be.

Even if your out looking for a new job yourself you will learn things that would help others so pass it on. .