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What I learned about networking for the future.
I find that when you are in your early twenties you are a ball of Play-doh that is being shaped and molded with life experiences as you adapt to the changing world around you. Making the transition into the working world, and having a nine to five, from Monday to Friday is a huge leap. Finding the perfect balance between work, coworkers, school, clubs, activities, dating and family is difficult and does not come along easily. But when you do achieve this balance (which is obtained when you begin to feel comfortable in your new work environment) that is when you get a taste for what it is really like to work a nine to five and keep up with all of the other things that go on in our lives, and really understand what the adults around us actually experience. When I obtained my job, I never worked in an office environment before. I had other work experience but working eight hours a day, and staring at a computer screen for the majority of the day at my desk… well that’s completely different. My first day on the job in particular was very draining, I was given a small stack of background information to read and I found myself dozing off around lunch time, barely able to keep my eyes open. But, it is something that you have to get used to. The transition from a student to a working girl is a lot easier than one might think. You have to remember, however, that everything in life requires sacrifices. We give up spending time with friends at school, socializing and attending on-campus events and activities, for valuable experience for the future.
One day at work I decided to attend a networking workshop on how to network in the public service and it really resonated with me. Usually workplaces provide a ton of workshops readily available for the keen employee. The instructor asked us if we had ever networked before and at first I thought I had not because I spent all of my time at school, but she made it clear that doing extracurriculars, going to parties, meeting friends through friends are all ways that we network in the school environment. A person that we meet could be our next employer or knows someone who will employ us in the future. Now the reason why I decided to bring up networking here is because of how important it is in the current job market. Everyone from those who have been recently laid off, to graduates who have now entered the job force are hungry for work, trying to find a job position anywhere and anyway they can. With the government cuts, there are fewer jobs and more people who need them. So what are we to do? Network. I began to realize that these days, jobs are given to us more by the people we know and less by the credentials we may or may not have. Networking is the art of maintaining mutually beneficial relationships. At school you may meet someone who works for an organization that you have always wanted to work for. When you ask this person for some contact information and advice on their experience in the position, you are networking. Similarly, in the workplace, your coworkers may be occupying a job that you would like to have in the future or maybe they know someone who knows the person doing your dream job. From the moment you are hired you already have a foot in the door to network and build your social sphere through meeting people and building connections from the inside. This could open mentorship opportunities, enhance your workplace experience, lead to new friendships and to different paths and career opportunities! A good way to keep track of the people you meet is to create a directory with their names and contact information, just in case you may need to use them in the future.
The first day at work is the time to start building connections, meet your new coworkers and remain friendly and hardworking. Take this new job as an opportunity to gain valuable experience, gain cash and also a time to meet new people and build your network, because at the end of the day your network really adds up to be your net worth in the long-run.
Until next time,
The Working Girl