{"id":148,"date":"2009-02-27T13:06:00","date_gmt":"2009-02-27T13:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/career-advice\/making-time-for-networking\/"},"modified":"2024-09-28T03:50:56","modified_gmt":"2024-09-28T10:50:56","slug":"making-time-for-networking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/making-time-for-networking\/","title":{"rendered":"Making time for networking"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gayle Hallgren-Rezac, co-author of WORK THE POND!<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Making_time_for_networking\" Making time for networking \u2014 I had thought of calling this article, \u201cFinding the Time for Networking\u201d but the truth is that finding the time is not really the biggest hurdle. Instead, it\u2019s making the time. What\u2019s the difference? Making the time implies that it is worthwhile to network\u2014there\u2019s a good reason for it. If you believe that there is value in networking you\u2019ll find the time.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a true story of a \u201cDoubting Thomas\u201d. His attitude is very typical. While we were teaching a seminar on Positive Networking\u00ae to a group of Executive MBAs, one guy–appropriately named Thomas\u2014spoke up. He wanted to share his feelings about networking: \u201cIt\u2019s standing around making small talk and thinking how much more productive I could be if I were back at my office.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is not an unusual view. And our response was this: \u201cThomas what if you set a goal of attending just one networking event a week? That\u2019s forty-seven events a year\u2014with five weeks off for good behavior. (Ultram<\/a>) And try and make seven good contacts per event. Now do the arithmetic. At the end of the year you\u2019ll have 329 new contacts\u20141,645 at the end of five years. Could you make this happen if you were sitting at your desk? I don\u2019t think so.\u201d<\/p>\n

Actually, it isn\u2019t 1,645 contacts at the end of five years<\/a>, it is 1,645 new networks\u2014you are one handshake away from everyone in each of those networks. The mind boggles\u2026networks are amazing.<\/p>\n

Are all those connections going to flourish into relationships? Not likely, but if you succeed with a very small percentage of those contacts, say 10 percent, that\u2019s still 164 new relationships. Could these relationships add value to your life? You bet! They could help you with information you may be looking for, perhaps find you a new employee, or maybe even be that person who offers you a new job or refers you for a job. Any, and all, of those people may simply add value to your life, even if they seem like weak links<\/a> now. They may become friends or interesting acquaintances.<\/p>\n

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But more importantly, the question you want to ask is what can you do for these new people<\/a> in your network? That\u2019s where the happiness factor comes in. Research shows that people who are more connected, who are givers not takers, are healthier and happier, live longer and have more rewarding lives. Those are reasons to make networking and connecting in work and life a priority. If you do, you\u2019ll find the time.<\/p>\n

Related to networking<\/strong><\/p>\n