Networking: have fun & build your brand
Networking often gets a bad rap, thanks to its association with the men-in-suits style of ‘wheelin dealin’!
A different style of networking:
Good networking is about building relationships.
If you’ve never tried networking, or you did try it and didn’t like it, I encourage you to try it again!
Some tips to get started:
Go in with an open mind.
Try out different groups to see which ones suit you best, (and that you like being part of ideally).
Join with the goal of being helpful.
Join more than one group; different groups will have different benefits and people to meet.
Consider it a long-term venture.
Lastly, keep showing up!