Your Network of Contacts - Use Them or Lose Them
Your Network of Contacts
Use Them or Lose Them You may not have realized it, but over the years you have developed a network of contacts. They range from people you have worked for and with to former teachers and professors, along with people in your community. Today’s technology makes it easy to keep in touch with these people. Remember that they can be a great help to you as you move through your career. Use technology to keep track of your contacts You may have received a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) for graduation. These devices allow you to enter the names of your contacts, along with their contact information, into your computer or handheld unit. Take them with you when you go on interviews. If you are asked for the names of references, you can easily access your contact information by pulling out your handheld PDA and locating the information. Stay in touch with your network Names are only as good as the relationship that you have with these people. If your contacts have not heard from you in a number of years, they are less likely to be able to help. So your job is to stay in touch with them. Her are some suggestions for doing just that: • You can stay in touch by sending emails every now and then, asking your contacts how they are doing. Holidays are a good time to do this. You can kill two birds with one email by creating holiday greetings emails. • Ask some of your closer contacts to get together for a cup of coffee. Invite them to bring along one business associate so that you can each expand your network. • You also might consider attending alumni events in your area, so that you can stay in touch with former professors and fellow alumni. If possible, volunteer to help facilitate some of the alumni functions. This will keep you involved and prevent you from dropping out of sight. • Stay up-to-date about what your contacts are doing and offer your help whenever it makes sense (as a reference, for example). After all, life is a two-way street. Getting back on track If you find that you have been remiss and that your network has disappeared, you will recover. But it will take a lot more work on your part. People are very busy and often do not have time to socialize like they did in college. If your network is truly gone, then get back out there and start another one. Get involved in some business organizations as well as community organizations. But don’t try to meet everyone at meetings and events. Go determined to make one or two new contacts. No one likes talking to someone who is clearly looking around the room for his/her next victim. An art worth practicing Once you have established your contact list again, don’t make the same mistake that you made the first time. Do stay in touch and do offer to help them in any way you can. Networking is an art that takes years of practice to perfect. But the effort can be quite rewarding both personally and professionally.
|
