Rita Carey, career consulting and leadership coach, left a great comment on my post about networking (does it work?) post on Friday.
Her entire comment is worth reading but I wanted to share her very last thought:
“Networking, done well, is an investment.”
Think about it – if you have $100 and you invest it in something relatively safe you might be able to get, say $120 out later.
Is later tomorrow?
NO! (usually not)
You might have to wait for a year before you can get the increase.
Usually investments take time to mature.
If networking is an investment, when do you think you can get the value out of it?
Perhaps not until next year.
Start now.
Invest now.
Network now.
You need to start before you need to pull your $120 out.
Another great point of view Jason!
It’s too bad that most people think of “networking” as a “withdrawal” when they should be thinking ”
Deposit!”
Shane, brilliantly said. Very much like Keith Ferrazzi’s advice against being a networking jerk.
It’s true that many folks wait so long to network (like after they lose their job) that they naturally, and out of sheer desperation, feel like they are forced to make it about themselves (withdrawal)!