Hi! What comes to mind when you think of "networking"? Share your thoughts.

14 Comments

1. AnonymousJuly 1,2024 at 6:38PM UTC

   An absolutely terrifying concept, where you have to make connections with complete strangers and hope that you don't make any fatal mistakes.

2. WandaJuly 1,2024 at 6:51PM UTC

   Networking to me is forming connections with other people both professionally and personally. I don't think that it's an activity that should be geared solely towards advancing a career. Networking could very well help to expand someone's repertoire of relational connections as well as their outlook

3. AnonymousJuly 1,2024 at 7:51PM UTC

   Pain ... it feels like people only connect with me when they want something, usually something I don't have to give.

4. Maggie SoldanoJuly 1,2024 at 8:23PM UTC

   I hate to admit this, but I cringe every time I think about "networking" — it's like walking through your contact list with a cup asking people to fill it. Oogie.

5. AnonymousJuly 1,2024 at 9:55PM UTC

   Networking is not only a great way to get job leads it’s a great way to learn. If you have a degree research through your University career center if they have an alumni network, then join it. Meeting new people isn’t easy if one is an introvert. But extroverts are dynamos. No matter, do what makes you uncomfortable to build your networking muscle. Though technology is out there you’re one in a million doing the same thing. Don’t just apply, follow up and use Linkedin. Communicating with a live human can take you far.

6. Karen P. StoreyJuly 2,2024 at 12:00AM UTC

   THERE IS NO RIGHT WAY TO DO THE WR0NG THING!

   TRY IT ! YOU MAY LIKE IT! 95% O THE THINGS WE WORRY ABOUT - NEVER HAPPEN. GO FOR IT, TRY IT!

   ITS DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE! :-)

7. AnonymousJuly 2,2024 at 5:45AM UTC

   Right? We forget that most people are probably worried what we’ll think of them!

8. AnonymousJuly 2,2024 at 1:15AM UTC

   Meeting a bunch of random strangers and never seeing or hearing from them again, no one networking with you because you are in a weird obscure field that doesn't apply to most of the business world.

9. AnonymousJuly 2,2024 at 5:44AM UTC

   It’s how I’ve gotten most of my jobs. Ironically I got into my field years ago through a classified ad in the Sunday paper!

   But since then it’s been about connections. Only once did I get a job at a networking event. I met someone at a firm and asked if they were hiring. I was on a two project by month’s end.

   The others were people I knew from school, previous jobs and my temple. These all led to full time jobs.

   So don’t be shy. I actually am but this made me come out of my shell.

10. Karishma KazimJuly 2,2024 at 7:40AM UTC

    meeting people from varied backgrounds and understanding their perspective, their views and learn and enhance knowledge during this process.

11. Betty StridenJuly 2,2024 at 4:04PM UTC

    Keeping in touch with former colleagues, connecting with people in the same profession through joining professional organizations or attending conferences, interacting with people from different backgrounds

12. AnonymousJuly 2,2024 at 6:48PM UTC

    the 'popular' club from high school that still excludes anyone who does not fit the perfect type. A place where who you know is far more important than what you know.

    For me, someone who is introverted and not always office political savvy, its just yet one more way to fail no matter how hard you work. Spent years trying to learn how to do it, years how to lean into it only to still be the nerdy girl in the corner left out of the opportunities after doing all the work.

13. Tami L CannizzaroJuly 3,2024 at 2:47PM UTC

    In its simplest form, networking is remaining in contact with those we have met. That's a wide group of people, including friends, former classmates (all the way back to when we were kids), sorority sisters, former colleagues, church friends, friends of our parents, roommates, teachers/professors, former bosses, friends of friends, etc. Yes, we can attend networking events to meet new people, and I encourage it if at all possible. But we forget to nurture those relationships we already have (see above)! One way I've found to stay in touch: once a week I reach out to a couple people that I haven't heard from recently. It can be a quick text or email, even a LinkedIn note, just to say Hi, how are you? Nothing long. AND keep in mind, networking is not about you. It's first and foremost about helping the other person. People are more receptive this way. Our turn will come later.

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