Become A Networking Connoisseur

It IS about the people you know. That’s why networking is such an important part of getting ahead professionally and in life. I work in an industry that depends heavily on who you know and the relationships you have with people. I stay in touch with people from my 1^st grade music teacher to the billionaire of a tech company I met on a boat. It ALL matters and it all comes in handy. The people who know me look at my contact list and network in amazement and I am often asked how I know so many people. I learned early on that the more people you know, the more resources you have. Yeah it takes effort and extra work to maintain thousands of relationships, but it truly can set you apart when trying to get ahead or in getting what you want.

I’ve touched on it in an earlier article: 5 Things To Do On Your Climb To The Top. Here are more tips at what you can do on your way to mastering the art and skill of networking:

Be nice to and get to know everyone. That assistant will be the Vice President of Development in 2 years or that Production Assistant will sell a show next month and will be an Executive Producer. I’ve literally seen both of those happen a few times.

Whether you’re in a business meeting or at a crawfish boil in someone’s backyard (true story for me), meet people and stay in touch with as many of them as possible, especially the ones you vibe with. Drop Facebook messages, like their Instagram pictures, invite them to a group BBQ, do whatever it takes to stay fresh in people’s minds.

And most of all, be willing to help people who come to you, even if you don’t really know the person. If you have a friend looking to hire someone, connect him or her with someone you know looking to be hired. Help the people you know and ones you don’t really know and others will be willing to help you. I promise this works, I’ve seen it, I live it.

Reference: Forbes/ABC News

Photo Credit