What Does "Networking" Really Mean? | by Manjit Bansal
Manjit Bansal is a Project Management Apprentice working at the London Borough of Newham and is writing for the Community Blogging Team.
"Being dyslexic with sensory dysfunction to having an article shared for all to read, I wish to bring some inspiration to fellow apprentices to have the courage to step into the world and let yourselves be seen. I hope my articles can help eradicate the niggling gremlins of fear and allow you to take the leap to grow and build on your confidence."
If you haven’t already, I am sure you will soon too be told that networking is key to climbing that career ladder. Expanding your contacts list - whether face-to-face or in the virtual world - showing the world who you are is how you get noticed. Hmm, but how does one start?
This is a scary thought for most, especially if you are shy and prefer to keep yourself to yourself, not necessarily being an introverted character. Believe it or not, I too am a shy individual, hesitant of stepping forwards to say hi. Sometimes I let the inner voices creep up in my head warning me of the consequences of putting myself out there, things like, you’ll embarrass yourself by saying something silly and irrelevant. Or you don’t look too great today, people will judge you on your appearance, etc., etc. You get the drift. So over the years, I have found ways to engage with others by applying the advice from successful role models, watching various videos, reading books, and ironically attending networking events. I would now like to share a tip to help you get on your way to building your own network. Networking does not mean having to attend large fancy events with champagne and caviar although that would be fun. Networking can begin by simply starting a one-on-one conversation with someone you don’t already know.
Yes, it is that simple! Just say ‘Hi’. Giving a greeting with a genuine smile can go a long way. Remember meeting one new person and building a connection with them opens the door to meeting anyone else from that person’s connections and that is what networking really means. Just like a computer, one connects to the next and next and next etc. We were already exposed to these skills when playing in the playground at school. Games like sticky glue and bulldog come to mind, you tag someone and they are now on the same team as you, then they tag someone, and so on until you are all connected.
Start off by taking a look around your team, identify who you hardly speak to, and go start a conversation. You may be sharing an office with another team, department or even another business entirely. Go over and just say hi, get to know them. Say hello to your mail person, talk to your neighbours, the security guard in the shopping centre, the cleaner, your child’s teacher, and strike up a conversation. Find an area of common interest, you may just finally find that person to attend a Zumba class with or arrange a fishing trip away, anything is possible. They may even recommend a good book to read that you were unaware of that can help your career. Everyone knows someone, and someone may be able to connect you to their contact or enlighten you as you can them.
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