by: Marilyn J. Tellez, M.A.
I will start my discussion with, you reader, about what networking is and is not.
It is about yourself and others. How do you relate to other people? Do you hem and haw about what you really want from someone else? Do you freeze up when you need to talk to someone? Do you get "in the face" of someone and won't let them talk?
You know the answer. This kind of net- working is a waste of time, energy and resources. It's self-defeating.
Then what is good networking? It is not hard to get it right. It is about an inter- change between you and someone else that is: Genuine, trusting, sincere and friendly. It is not about grabbing what you think you need from someone else at any cost. It is an exchange of what both people need.
Sometimes that is information. Other times it is to listen to someone intently. Often, it is just to be friendly.
The job seeker who isn't into net- working as a personal endeavor will be left at the starting gate. And who wants to be thought of as a job seeking horse?