Article published on LinkedIn.com: June 28, 2023

06_networking_062823.pdf

Networking

Networking involves making connections and maintaining relationships with people who support you throughout each phase of your life.

Your network of contacts may help you to choose the right career and people in your life, find rewarding opportunities, develop your skills, and achieve your goals.

Making connections and maintaining relationships with the people who support you, can be the key to your success. By effectively building a network of friends, colleagues, and business associates, you are ensuring that whenever you need a social contact, a new job, a new client, or to develop your skills further, you can call upon your network to help you.

Networking is perhaps more crucial than ever, as an established relationship can make you stand out against the competition. Take advantage of the access you have been given. Go out of your way to meet other intelligent individuals and build up a network of contacts.

When should I start networking?

Networking should not start just when you begin to look for a job; you should build up your contacts and friendships as soon as possible, even if you are happy in your long-term job and are not thinking of changing. You never know when you are going to need these contacts in the future. Or may be you will need them to help a friend or family member being introduced to one of who would benefit from them.

Whom should you talk to? Talk to anyone and everyone. This includes family, friends, neighbors, work colleagues, old school and university friends, and people that you meet by chance when out and about. Even though one person may not be able to assist you in the future or vice versa, his or her son, brother, sister, neighbor or even their cleaner might. You never know who a person might know, which is why it is best to talk to as many people as possible. This is not done in one day; it takes time and a lot of effort.

Remember that in many cases, you may not even realize that you are networking. Striking up a conversation with a stranger in the dentists’ waiting room or on the train is networking, as is attending trade meetings and career fairs.

Networking is fantastic, not only because you have your own personal network of friends, work associates, and family, but because each of them will have his or her own network of contacts. It is no wonder that networking is consistently quoted as the most effective way of getting a job or meeting interesting people.

Also, in the same chapter you can familiarize yourself with questions, reflections, and answers about:

How should I act when attending networking activities?

How can I improve my networking skills?

How can I look approachable?

How can I be charming?

How can I start a conversation with a stranger?

Can I create a friendship in 60 seconds?

What about the power of social media?

What should I consider?

Change Your Future, Now!

This 642-page book is the result of a four-year project called Project Tomorrow. During the four-year period, we followed more than 500 trainees, aged from 16 to 72.

The trainees were from colleges and reinsertion programs in administration and computer science. Some of the trainees that were implicated where dropouts from school districts, and others were new immigrants or unemployed workers from different economic and social backgrounds.

To graduate, the trainee had to perform during a period of three months in a business environment. At the end of that time, an appreciation evaluation was performed to determine both the amount of change the trainee experienced during the period and the impact of that change on the trainee.

Many of the questions, reflections, and answers presented in this book are issued from our findings during this period. We would like to thank all the trainees for their efforts and determination during the process.

In a nutshell, to change your life for a better future, you will need to be completely open and transparent as you look inside yourself to answer the tough questions about what you think you need to do to succeed in life.

To help you to develop a clear and detailed program, for your personal growth and happiness in life you will need Change Your Future, Now!

The book through questions, quotes and reflections provides the necessary elements to explore your soul, to find out who you really are, what your true passions are and how you can become more efficient and effective, so you can shape your life.

This 642-page book is the result of a four-year project called Project Tomorrow. During the four-year period, we followed more than 500 trainees, aged from 16 to 72. It is also the fruit of forty years of experience acquired with local and international organizations and companies and during consultancy, change management, transition, and marketing services. For more information go to: www.webtechpublishing.com .

About the Author In addition to writing, Germain Decelles acts as Change Management Strategist. He has over 40 years of business and consultation experience with local and international markets, including sectors such as retail trade, distribution, information technology and communications, transportation, manufacturing, financial services, and government organizations. Other publications: ISO Pour Tous – Le manuel d’information ISO – Le guide de préparation ISO – La gestion du changement en affaires – La gestion de projet d’affaires – Le changement POUR TOUS – Change Your Future, Now! – Mon succès est votre succès – My Success Is Your Success. Press Contact Germain Decelles, o.s.j. WebTech Management et Publication Incorpored

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