Aside from helping clients with their marketing needs at Media Hounds, I also teach design at SUNY | Fashion Insitute of Technology. I like to give my students occasional career advice. One of the things I’ve noticed among the young is an aversion to networking. Maybe it’s that the younger generations spend more time looking at their screen rather than each other but I think it’s more because of the negative misconception that exists about networking.
Networking is not about finding people who can help you. Networking is about finding people YOU can help.
The people who best excel at networking are those who are fountains of solutions, happy to share information, and eager to pass along resources. People who are valued as a go-to person by their clients, contacts and colleagues.
My other favorite quote is “The best business relationships are personal.” Business is all about relationships. And another word for relationships is friendships. And nothing’s better than a helpful friend.