The art of networking is one of the most powerful tools to advance your personal and professional life. This skill can help you land your dream job, obtain a promotion and connect with leaders in your industry by building real relationships, actively maintaining them, and giving as much as you take.
Networking is not just a tool, it is an investment and you need to trust people you are doing business with. Networking can be intimidating, particularly for those who are shy, make sure you are visible, plan interesting things to talk about, it is all about practice - the more you do it, the better you will get. In this competitive market, networking can open up new opportunities and creating a diverse network can be just as important as large networks to cultivate long standing relationships.
It is vital to know the right people who can get you places that you might not reach otherwise. The right resources can also accelerate your networking such as professional associations, online networks and social media services. Above all networking isn't just about passing out business cards, doing the hard sell or asking people you don't know well for favours, the key to successful networking is to remember to support one another. Everyone likes to do business with people they actually like!
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