Takeaways

[biancatorresmurray]

Networking has been extremely crucial in helping me learn of and take advantage of many opportunities. However, with that being said, I recognize that I am only a sophomore in college and that I still have much to learn. In my experience, in-person events have always made it easier for me to network. I love seeing someone’s facial expressions when they talk about their work. This, in turn, helps facilitate an environment where everyone is eager to share their passions and learn from each other. Consequently, community is fostered. Also, I think that seeing people in person allows for one to randomly get sidetracked or share about more personal aspects of their life. These seemingly little moments are, in reality, so vital in forging lasting connections with individuals. Networking via zoom usually just doesn’t seem to have the same impact on me. Thus, reading the first part of the packet, where it describes “old-fashioned networking,” resonated so much with me. Whether it be its suggestion to attend events, send handwritten cards, or visit people in person, this advice solidified and re-emphasized the value of personal and thoughtful networking. Moreover, reading this section of the packet made me remember a time when I reached out to a lawyer that I met through a summer program. Instead of writing her an email following up on our conversation, I wrote her a handwritten card. The next time I talked with her, I could tell how much that action meant to her. I consider this lawyer one of my mentors to this day.

Something else that intrigued me from this packet was when an article asserted, “Go deep, not wide when making small talk.” This prompted me to re-evaluate certain tendencies I have when I am networking with someone. I often have been told to tell a said person everything that you have done in that field said person works in. While I believe this is valuable, I now think that it’s important to go deeper than that. I believe that when talking about one’s experiences, one should elaborate on how those experiences have impacted them, why they’re interested in said area, or what they’ve learned from their experiences. These crucial talking points will not only show the person you’re talking with that you’re a critical thinker, but they’ll give said person something insightful to learn and take away from your conversation.

[Author]

Posts