Blog Post: Shift From Hard Working to Networking

Learning to network is your best tool for achieving successful answers to all of these questions… 

Why does the mention of networking create visions of eyes rolling into the back of heads, sighs of dismay and accelerated heartbeats? What is networking and why does it cause such apprehension? Networking simply put is a set of connections, contacts, interactions and associations that strategically placed create opportunities, resources and options. 

Networking viewed this way complicates the meaning. Let's relieve the nervousness, anxiety and fear and translate the term into “making friends” and “building relationships.” Psychology tells us that people support, promote, endorse and sponsor people they know, “buddies.”   

Have you heard the adage, “work smarter rather than harder?” Networking has an essential place in this comment. Positioning yourself to connect with the right people at the right time is a vital skill. Critical to gaining visibility and scaling the corporate ladder are identifying key players and positioning yourself to befriend them. The two phrases used by successful people are “how may I help you?” and “let’s do lunch.” 

Whether you are looking for a job, seeking advancement or changing careers, here are five tips for improving your career networking skills:

 Be the first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave in the evening. Executive level managers are normally present during these times.