I was having a cup of coffee with a friend the other day and the conversation turned to my upcoming book on networking (somewhat shameless plug - Networking in the 21st Century: Why Your Network Sucks and What to Do About It). She asked me if it was possible to network on a budget because she found that all of the networking lunches and coffees and events can really add up. She works in alumni development for a large university; and she shared that a lot of young professionals right out of school feel that they can't build a strong network because they don't have the financial resources to keep up with it all. I can understand their … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Rock Your Second-Half Networking
Ah, July. We're all sitting on a beach, enjoying the summer. But soon the fall will be here and with it the mad dash to accomplish our 2012 goals. Make it easier on yourself by having your network poised to help you as the weather starts to cool. Here are three ways you can make your networking more effective: 1. Create a plan – Many people fail at building a strong professional network because they don’t develop a strategy first, they just blindly flail about. Networking is much more effective when you create clarity around your objectives first. Think about the questions that journalists ask: Who, When, What, Where, Why, and How? Who … [Read more...]