Tangent – Networking Today

I thought I would diverge from the main theme of IT Security and talk a little bit about networking. The Wall Street Journal recently posted an article about networking and common mistakes people make around networking, and I wanted to address some of the major key points.

The greatest quote that I could use to sum up the most important aspect of networking would be, “Remember that you have two ears and one mouth, use them in proportion.” Networking is all about relationships and genuinely getting to know people. My number one concept for networking is “it’s not about the ‘what can you do for me now’.” We have to find people that we truly want to get to know, who have similar interests or a special personality. By building a relationship, more doors are opened to opportunity.

In today’s society if you don’t know someone, it is much harder to find a job. Face to face interaction is also a key component. I can’t even count how many times I have gone out to lunch or coffee with people in my industry just to get to know them (and secretly hope they will remember my name). While the Internet is important, it’s only a fraction of relationships. Always start out with a face to face, and then stay in contact through the Internet. 

Check out these tips from the WSJ:

• ·         “Don’t misuse the Internet” – Face to face, no sloppy emails, be clean
• ·         “Don’t be vague” – make your goals known but don’t be pushy
• ·         “Don’t Stop” – stay in contact, don’t lose your relationship by not following up, say thank you
• ·         “Don’t be selfish” – try to help your contact and be engaged in their life
• ·         “Don’t misuse your network” – don’t pester your contact constantly for references or information, don’t name drop and be professional

Stay Tuned!