***Hello writer, please respond to this classmates discussion post. The classmate wrote about on their social networking experiences and think of the ties they’ve have (or had) with individuals or groups who provided any of the following:
The opportunity to pursue a new job or career.
Much-needed direction and support.
The motivation to be creative and try something new.
Please respond to the classmates about their post & how i agree and/or disagree with their exeperience and do not add anything personal about “me”
Hello professor and class,
Social and professional networking as always evoked a sense of dread that I had to repress whenever I attempted to broaden my connections. Culturally, I still identify as a foreigner and in Caribbean customs one should not make a conscious effort to familiarize oneself with another, solely to benefit. It is, however, the way many connections, professional or otherwise, are made in Western culture such as the United States. Consequently, I became progressively comfortable with striking and fostering connections made through networking.
My current position was suggested to me at a networking event organized by a local job center. After attending a couple of events, Aurora, who became one of my close friends, and I, struck a conversation. Our chat had a natural flow and was seamlessly directed to our academic backgrounds, career aspirations and professional opportunities within the first 5-minutes of our conversation. The setting in which this dialogue took place, in this case a networking event, influenced the subject we broached, which ended up securing my current position as a career navigator. Although Aurora and I have met and spoken before, I had not made the conscious decision to use our interactions as “networking opportunities”. I have learned since then that everyone one meets is a potential connection that can open one’s mind to ventures unthought of, a new point of view, or a sympathetic ear.
At the time we spoke, I was experiencing some hardships both personal and professional, yet talking to a person who turned out to be so generous with their time and advice, was refreshing. Sometimes, when looped into the grueling cycle of unemployment, one might lose sight of their own untapped or known potential. In my case, I never envisioned working the position of what is often described a social worker for careers, yet I love my job. Aurora told me about the open counselor position and recommended me after I applied. The process was made easier for me since someone already part of the organization, and in good standing, vouched for me.
This made me wonder how many jobs don’t even get to be published on job boards before being filled with candidates referred by the current staff. It turns out that over a third of positions filled (or 80%) were influenced on some level by an insider (Ton, 2020). If one was debating whether building connections and diversifying one’s network before, the accessible labor market research should be a strong counterargument.
-Carmella
References
Ton, J. (2020, October 14). Council post: Networking: It’s not what you think. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/10/15/networking-its-not-what-you-think/?sh=663f23417985
