Learn to Love Networking

Networking:

Throughout the past semester, I have discovered the importance of networking and I've been working on improving my social selling skills. As I am nearing the end of my college career, I have been taking pride in establishing my professional brand based off my personal values, talents, and experiences. I've gotten more comfortable with the idea that my career path doesn't have to be set in stone. As I am expanding my knowledge, I am setting myself up to be able to pursue a career in a variety of different fields after graduation. Networking is a powerful tool to be able to build and maintain connections that are far more useful then simply looking for a job.

During my Personal Selling class this semester, I had the opportunity to attend two networking events. The Sales Symposium, pictured above, was one of the last sales events to end a semester full of competing, selling, and networking. Representatives from some of the sponsors for BUSC and RNMKRS attended the symposium and gave some advice to my classmates and me. After they shared some of their best and worst sales experiences, my worries about entering the sales field were relieved. The best part of the event was talking 1:1 to the representatives. I was able to socialize in a professional setting in hopes to hear more about their experiences and obstacles. This was the first step to building my network, but to ensure that I could reach out to them in the future, I sealed the deal by connecting with them on LinkedIn. Although this is a good way to make connections, the relationship doesn't stop there. I've learned that is more important to nourish these relationships by staying in touch on LinkedIn. You never truly know who might have a life- or career-changing connection somewhere down the line.

Social Selling Index (SSI):

There are many aspects that go into your Social Selling Index (SSI) on LinkedIn, including establishing your professional brand, finding the right people, engaging with insights, and building relationships. This semester I've been working on finding the right people to connect with by reaching out to all of the people that sponsored or judged the competitions I competed in. I've been building relationships by not only connecting with people, but getting to know more about them by engaging with their profile and eventually reaching out afterwards to see what we have in common and what I am interested in learning from them based off their experiences and their career paths. My SSI increased about 5 points from the beginning of 2022, and my goal over the summer is to keep engaging with insightful posts that will enhance my professional brand.

Learn to Love Networking:

I recently came across an article published by Harvard Business Review that discussed the importance of networking in a world where most people are inclined to say "I hate networking." It doesn't come naturally to most people and it definitely takes some effort, but it certainly is necessary in today's social world. By reading this article, I learned four ways to build more effective relationships, including focusing on learning, identifying common interests, thinking broadly about what I can give, and finding a higher purpose.