How to Network Correctly

Posted: October 13, 2014

Networking can be a tricky skill to master. If it's not done correctly, the effort put in to it won't reap any benefits. By following a few simple tips, you can learn to effectively and properly network. Devin C. Hughes, writer for Dumb Little Man, shares tips on how to network correctly.

How Not To Network

I spent the better part of an afternoon recently having a conversation with someone on my Southwest flight back home. Like many of us who travel frequently, I was bored, restless and looking for something to occupy my time. Keep in mind, the battery on my iPAD was dead and I was looking around aimlessly for some sort of intellectual stimulation. I introduced myself to the woman sitting one seat over from me who kept trying to make eye contact and initiate a conversation. I tried like the dickens to avoid it at first but I caved in and allowed her in my world. I am a sucker for persistence. I was also really, really bored! I soon found out just how eager she was to tell me everything about her company, her current position, her skill-set(s), accomplishments and long-term aspirations. She went on and on about her entire career to include what she did, why she did it etc… I did not mind it so much but as she continued to talk, it dawned on me that she never once asked me about ME. I could not help but think of the famous quote by Mark Twain, “Most conversations are monologues in the presence of witnesses”. I now know what he meant. Read the entire article How Not To Network on Dumb Little Man.