Don’t you just love being the guy who knows everyone by first name? Or if somebody just needs to talk to someone, you’ll be the first one they will ever contact to get this someone’s attention?.. Well, I say, that’s one of the perks that comes with living in this world for such a long time! Seniors who have been in the work force for so many years are indeed well-known in their chosen field. Even those stay-at-home wives must have filled at least 2 personal phone books when asked.
In line with this, let me just introduce to you a new word:  networking. You must have heard this word once or twice—many times if you are active in the “web” scene. Social networking for one is probably the most used term as of the moment but just to be fair, I won’t jump into conclusion that we all are aware of that. Networking, by definition, is the act of meeting new people and making new connections. For seniors, like I stated earlier, connections are never a problem since they already existed, unless of course if you are planning to make new connections in yet another field. Problem is, most of these connections just go to waste, instead of making the most out of them. Let me rephrase that, it’s not about using people you know but taking your business to the next level just by merely knowing these people.
In today’s world, knowing as many people as you can will definitely be an advantage for you. Take for example your resume. You name people there as your referral, and somehow it has to be someone who can vouch for you and at the same time, prove to the company that his or her words can be depended on. Just imagine if you wrote down a name of a president or CEO of a well-known company? Just imagine that! That’s networking at work!
I would like to think that everyday is an opportunity to make new connections. It was said that no man is an island, and I firmly believe that. There are billions of people out there and millions of ways to make connections, there is no good reason why you should not explore the possibilities of networking. Making yourself ready and presentable all the time are the next best things to do, to attract people. To make networking work to your advantage, you should know the golden rule:  that is offering your help whenever needed. This way, you are already paving the way to a good relationship which you can reap benefits from in the future. Also, word of honor is very important so always deliver your promises.
Networking is all about relationships—as much as possible, personal ones. It should be cherished and nurtured overtime to make it work.