When I was fresh in my first job at a PR agency, I remember feeling as though I had landed on a movie set and I was cast in the role of “Office Girl 3”, pantomiming adulthood to the best of my ability. My wardrobe now needed dry cleaning. My car was stocked with energizing CDs for the morning commute. I sat in conference rooms, participating in brainstorming sessions and team meetings. And along with that, came the career advice.
“You know…you should really get out there and network. Take some of these editors to lunch!”
(gulp) Whaaaaaa????
Are you saying that you want me - a 23-year-old who has experienced the majority of her life as a juvenile - to take a person to lunch who a) is not a friend or relative and b) is a decade or more older than me ....and make casual chit chat? ABOUT WHAT????
So many years later, I wish I hadn't been so panicked. It took me a long time to realize that even in a professional setting, people are just people, regardless if they’re sitting at a conference table or kitchen table.
I am also a strong believer in the power of face-to-face conversation. As The Wall Street Journal recently pointed out, networking is still crucial in today’s job market. In essence - your personal brand - how you speak face to face “IRL” and virtually, how you communicate, and how you just show up in life can all greatly impact one’s professional success.
And I’ll go even further to say - we need this. Pandemics and political polarization and AI panic are all affecting our internal barometers for interaction. We spend much of our time buried in our phones. So it’s no wonder that the “you should really get out and network” conversation can feel daunting.
I’ve started a new service within my business, offering networking guidance. I’m calling it “Networking for Novices and New Beginnings.” Having been at the bottom of the mountain many times in my career, I know how paralyzing it can be to face that next (or first!) job search or promotion, especially when you feel like you don’t know anyone in the field you’re targeting. So I’ve designed my approach to be part practical, part confidence-building.
If you or someone you know could benefit from a little coaching in this realm, I invite you to check out this page on my site.
To be clear, I am not casting PR life to the side! These past few years I’ve had the good fortune to do some mentoring and career coaching, and I’ve enjoyed it so much that I can’t resist following my instinct to pursue a way to help people. But the PR hat stays firmly in place.
Thank you for reading. Now let’s get out there and make eye contact.