Networking Through Volunteering

One of my biggest concerns about being in transition is occupying my time productively. A day without meaningful activities that are advancing my career or finding me work is to be avoided.

A great way to do something productive and worthwhile for your community and network at the same time is to get involved with volunteering.

Getting involved with Alumni associations is a great way to do this. Attending events and helping to plan events are great ways to reconnect with classmates and make new connections with other alums you don't know. People who are involved in these activities are usually folks who care about their Alma Maters and are willing to go the extra mile to help other Alums.

Helping with political campaigns is another good way to meet people who share your principles and beliefs and feel passionately about the same things you do. This oftentimes translate into a desire to lend a helping hand.

And don't forget that aside from networking, participating in or leading projects are great ways to acquire and refine professional skills and are great ways to fill in time periods on a resume that might otherwise be empty.

The best job advice I ever ignored

Once, when I was preparing to change jobs, I sought advice from colleague. When I explained I wanted to move out of my sector (financial services) and try something else like biotech, he advised against it. As an IT manager, he explained, my “value-add” to my next company was in understanding their business, customers, etc. By “starting over” in a new sector, that was lost.
I ignored the advice and it didn’t take long before I realized my mistake.
I knew nothing about my new business even though I thoroughly understood the technology, people and process sides. As a result, I had no way of completely connecting with the other senior managers or my business partners. And, worst of all, I found the new business boring even though the business model had much in common with my past experience. As a result, I was frustrated because I could have no impact to the degree I had in past jobs. My guess is that my peers, managers, and staff probably felt the same way.

The lesson is this: your job is to help your employer run their business and unless you are, for example, a technologist working in the technology sector or a marketing person in a marketing company, you are less valuable if you don’t know how your company makes money and what your customers’ problems and opportunities are.

Sure there are exceptions. If you just entering the workforce or are coming to a company that is specifically seeking a particular expertise, you have less to worry about. Nevertheless, you better make it a priority to get up to speed as quickly as you can.

Yes, schmoozers do prosper

An excellent article from US News & World Report discusses the value of "schmoozing" and in particular avoiding negativity and getting along with other people.
Whether you are in an interviewing process or currently employed, being able to work with people is the entry fee for landing the job and advancing in your career. If you don't have that basic attribute, especially as you move into more senior positions, whatever else you may possess, is usually little valued.