Networking: My New Favorite Thing

During a phone interview today I was asked why I wanted to be in PR. After an awesome conversation I had last night, my answer was simple: I LOVE to network and build new relationships.

This conversation last night was the best of my job search time so far. She recently decided to change jobs and had to go through the job search process all over again. During the phone call, she enthusiastically spoke about the several networking events she went to, the meetings she had with different people, and the entire process of weaving her networking web (hence the picture!). Unlike some other conversations I’ve had, she looked at these meetings as opportunities to learn, rather than just to get a job. This really struck me during the conversation.

Instead of saying “I’m looking for a job. Help me find one,” she would ask them to tell their stories, and then end the interview by asking if they knew anyone else who would be interested in sharing their story with her. Over the few months she was doing this, she stumbled upon awesome people with awesome stories, and began to build a solid network. While not all of the meetings led to interviews or jobs, she was learning more about what she wanted to do and fine-tuning her ideal job. Eventually, one contact led to another and she has a new job that she loves.

This conversation gave me a fresh perspective on interviewing. Rather than having my main focus be getting a job when I go into an interview, I like the idea of continuing to build relationships and just learning about people’s stories. If nothing else, I’ll be better prepared for future interviews and have a great group of people to contact with questions. As I told my students this morning, “Network your hearts out!” Every person has a story to tell, and you never know what connection will work out.