February 9, 2010

Networking 101

Posted in Uncategorized at 7:42 am by fullcircletraining

First, let me start this post off by saying, SORRY! It has been a while since I posted and in my defense, I wasn’t putting around doing bicep curls and staring at my chizzled figure in the mirror…seriously tho, I was…Anyways, I was actually in Orlando Florida coaching with my club team, Cape Ann Coalition. There was a 4 day showcase put on by USFHA at ESPN Wide World of Sports at Disney. To keep it short, things went really well, I was able to miss the massive amounts of snow in Balitmore and the mid coast states by a hair, thank you Air Tran customer service man who put me on hold for 90 minutes…I hate/love you!!!!!

Now to dah meat and taters…

Networking is a valuable tool in today’s world, in some cases, it’s not how good you are, it’s who you know that can shed positive light into your life. Hell, that’s how I got my internship, apart from my stellar 7 minute interview with Pete and Tony after they just got done with a workout and really seemed like they just wanted beef and protein and not a dumb intern blabbhing away about the how awesome he was…wow, that was one big run-on sentence!!

Since I have been coaching with Cape Ann and attending USM, my network has vastly expanded over the years. I can now sleep on a couch in England, have a beverage with an Aussie in Brisbon, drink Saki in Japan and get a lift in at most Universities if I were to make a phone call or send an email. This network didn’t build itself over night though.

I will shed some light here, and lend my helping hand to those who have a smaller network than Sarah Pallin…

1. Remember people’s names: This is the hardest one of them all, when you are introduced to someone new, remember their name and if you don’t understand it, ask them to repeat it until you get it. During your conversation with them, try using their first name as many times as possible, this will engrain it into your memory!! Following your intro, each time you see him, even if you don’t talk to him, try to remember his/her name until it’s second nature!
2. The only dumb question is the question not asked! Some times great conversation starters are questions. If you want to introduce yourself to a presenter at a lecture and don’t want to look like a fool, ask him/her a question…it’s the icebreaker of the business industry. Unlike a bar scene ice breaker like; “Does this rag smell like chloroform to you?”…too much?
3. Don’t be fake, be yourself and have confidence with who you are…I won’t go into much detail besides give you a clip from Daniel Tosh’s stand up act…He speaks it how it is! 
4. Don’t always talk shop…the most annoying part of coaching youth HS athletes is when the parents, can’t talk about anything but their daughter and how she is the next Olympian…in reality, I tell them  she needs to pick up the trumpet and stop with field hockey…but I don’t tho.

5. 

   ...or you could just look like her, networking will take care of itself!

6. What’s the point of building this network if you don’t utilize it! I have on many times, called, emailed or texted people that I have met and built relationships with asking them for help in some way, shape or form. This is the point of having a network. Don’t feel you can’t take advantage of this or feel guilty when you do…it’s the whole point! Just be ready to return the favor at a later time. You never know when using your network will come in handy…for graduate school, jobs, accommodations or money saving!If you have any other networking strategies that you feel help you or have worked in the past, post them below or email me and I can add it to the post!

For now, enjoy and pay it forward! You may not know it, but you are building a network by reading this!

Peace. Love and Jessica Alba.

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