Networking 101: Staying Connected to Others
The reason I felt this subject needed to be broached upon, is twofold. First, networking is a great way to keep up on the latest technology in a field, find new employment opportunities, or get a favor from others when you need them most. Second, true networking seems to have become a lost art. With the integration of social networking sites, we as a culture have seem to forgotten how to keep proper communication between colleagues. Consider this: Your picture of being completely drunk, in scantily clad clothing, making a complete mockery of yourself, is not the picture you want being seen by colleagues, or even potential employers. So, lets discuss a couple of ways that you can stay connected with others in a professional manner.
Get/Keep a Rolodex
This sounds like an antiquated notion. With technology, keeping business cards is really a thing of the past. Many people feel it is just as easy to send out e-business cards. But business cards are more valuable than you might think. A business card is a symbol that you exchanged something with someone else, so you more than likely have met that person face to face. Keeping that card is a symbol that you cared enough about that meeting, to hold onto the card; even if it is with a few hundred other cards. Finally, you can make notes on those cards, that will give you keen advantages. It is always good to know a little personal information about people, as it equates to a closer relationship. In the mechanical engineering field, keeping in touch with others is key, as new opportunities will always be coming up.
Email: Professional and Personal
Keep an email list specifically of professional colleagues. If you do not have a professional address set up, please get one set up as soon as possible. [email protected] is not a professional address, unless you are a professional rabbit breeder. With this email address, email people often enough to know that you are thinking of them. I personally email certain colleagues from technician training school about every three to six months. This allows me to keep up on their major life events, while offering a little up of myself. It just keeps the communication channels open enough, so that if I have a favor I need, or if they need of a favor from me, they are more comfortable asking.
Social Networking Sites
As my intro paragraph to this page may have let on, I do not care for social networking sites as a means of networking with other people. However, that is a personal opinion. If you must network professionally, keep the following in mind:
Personal site and professional site needs to be two separate things. You work colleagues don't need to know how many people you have hooked up with, or the results to your latest Facebook quiz. Similarly, your friends and family probably don't care that you just completed building a prototype of a leading edge product in the farm equipment field.
Don't offer up too much information. Especially if you are in a field that works with sensitive, or otherwise proprietary information. All too often, people find themselves out of a job, because they couldn't adequately keep a secret.
By following the steps listed above, you will find networking is much easier than once imagined. As a mechanical engineer, when you need random favors, such as a computer programmer's input, banking advice, or a consult on a large project with multiple variables, and a need for success, you can use your networking contacts to reach out for help.
One last thing about networking. When communicating with others, be sure to use proper and appropriate grammar and communication skills, as discussed earlier. If you can not communicate properly with colleagues, they will not take you seriously. For example, if I am talking to another engineer, "Wuz up" is not an appropriate way to communicate.
Get/Keep a Rolodex
This sounds like an antiquated notion. With technology, keeping business cards is really a thing of the past. Many people feel it is just as easy to send out e-business cards. But business cards are more valuable than you might think. A business card is a symbol that you exchanged something with someone else, so you more than likely have met that person face to face. Keeping that card is a symbol that you cared enough about that meeting, to hold onto the card; even if it is with a few hundred other cards. Finally, you can make notes on those cards, that will give you keen advantages. It is always good to know a little personal information about people, as it equates to a closer relationship. In the mechanical engineering field, keeping in touch with others is key, as new opportunities will always be coming up.
Email: Professional and Personal
Keep an email list specifically of professional colleagues. If you do not have a professional address set up, please get one set up as soon as possible. [email protected] is not a professional address, unless you are a professional rabbit breeder. With this email address, email people often enough to know that you are thinking of them. I personally email certain colleagues from technician training school about every three to six months. This allows me to keep up on their major life events, while offering a little up of myself. It just keeps the communication channels open enough, so that if I have a favor I need, or if they need of a favor from me, they are more comfortable asking.
Social Networking Sites
As my intro paragraph to this page may have let on, I do not care for social networking sites as a means of networking with other people. However, that is a personal opinion. If you must network professionally, keep the following in mind:
Personal site and professional site needs to be two separate things. You work colleagues don't need to know how many people you have hooked up with, or the results to your latest Facebook quiz. Similarly, your friends and family probably don't care that you just completed building a prototype of a leading edge product in the farm equipment field.
Don't offer up too much information. Especially if you are in a field that works with sensitive, or otherwise proprietary information. All too often, people find themselves out of a job, because they couldn't adequately keep a secret.
By following the steps listed above, you will find networking is much easier than once imagined. As a mechanical engineer, when you need random favors, such as a computer programmer's input, banking advice, or a consult on a large project with multiple variables, and a need for success, you can use your networking contacts to reach out for help.
One last thing about networking. When communicating with others, be sure to use proper and appropriate grammar and communication skills, as discussed earlier. If you can not communicate properly with colleagues, they will not take you seriously. For example, if I am talking to another engineer, "Wuz up" is not an appropriate way to communicate.
