The social aspect of real life is one of the areas that changes completely once you are done with school. While in high-school or college you are surrounded with others that are your own age who are looking to reach out and connect with like-minded individuals. This makes it simple to find people to collaborate with, hang out with recreationally, or become involved with romantically. At no other stage in your life will you have such an abundance of social opportunities. So how do you succeed in this area of real life?
Networking becomes a vitally important skill for anyone looking to become connected with those around them. When you meet someone who may become a valuable business contact, you had better reach out and add them to your professional network. In the same way if someone who you would like to date comes along, it is best to take a chance and try to meet them in a personal capacity. Many people develop the ability to network before heading out into the real world, but for those who got a late start, or need a bit of a refresher, here are the basics of how to successfully network with those people you encounter throughout your life.
The Basics of Networking
When it comes to creating a thriving personal and professional network for yourself it all comes down to what you have to offer. By cultivating expertise in your line of work or an engaging personal life you will find that many people will want to add you to their own social network. Once you find someone who you are interested in staying in contact with, all it takes is a simple conversation. Within this conversation you should be polite and engaging, demonstrating the value that you can add to their network and letting them know what you appreciate about them. Most people are looking to construct a network of their own just like you, so don’t stress out too much about approaching strangers that seem interesting. It is much more common than you would imagine to make professional and personal contacts without a previous introduction.
While you are creating different networks for your personal life, your professional life, and your romantic life, there are certain tools that will help you easily stay in touch with the people you meet.
Professional Networking
Almost all professional networking happens through e-mail and LinkedIn. It is very common to meet other professionals that would be willing to exchange information in order to create a working relationship for the future. Simply exchange e-mail addresses or LinkedIn profiles and you will have a very easy way to keep track of, and contact, any one that you meet in the business world. When using e-mail it can be helpful to sort your networks into groups. In both e-mail and the LinkedIn interface you are able to set notes next to a contact. When you first add a new person to your professional network it is helpful to write down a few quick notes regarding where and how you met them as well as any other details that may be helpful should you need to reach out to them in the future. A simple personal note attached to a business request can help break the ice and give you a higher chance at connecting with someone you met a while ago.
Personal Networking
Personal networking becomes more important than ever once you find yourself in the real world. Everyone around you begins to become much busier and more stressed. They stick to the people that they know and many of your old friends begin moving away to start families or to take new jobs. This means that your ability to create connections with those that you find interesting and would like to be around is more important than ever. Whether or not you are able to network with people you meet for the first time will determine whether you have a thriving social life or struggle to make the connections that you are looking for.
In the real world who you know is all that matters. Your friends will be meeting other people at work or in different hobbies that you may find very interesting. If your current friends enjoy their company, it makes sense that you would probably like spending time with them as well. This is one of the easiest ways to meet new people. Whenever you are invited to hang out with a group, sincerely try to make it. You never know whether you will meet a new friend, a valuable business connection, or maybe even the love of your life.
Once you have met some new people that you would like to add to your network, the simplest way to stay in contact is through social media. It may seem like this should be a thing of the past, but Facebook and Twitter are two of the most powerful communication engines on the planet right now when it comes to staying in touch with people you don’t see very often. Simply send out a friend request to anyone that you meet and follow up with a quick message detailing where and when you met and why you had a good time. This is a very safe way to add a person to your personal network without taking huge social risks.
Romantic Networking
Romance becomes more difficult in post-graduate life. Many people are starting to get married and those that are still single may have become disillusioned with the dating process. This is why it is important to master the ability to network romantically and set up dates with those that you are attracted to even if you only meet briefly.
More people than ever are turning to online dating as the solution to their romantic plights. Even if this seems too cheesy for you, it might be worth taking a moment to explore the digital possibilities. A much higher percentage of married couples are reporting meeting using an online dating site such as OKcupid or Match.com. These sites have you fill out your profile and then use an algorithm to match you up with people that you should already have a propensity towards. No more wandering around bars hoping to find people who have common interests if you take the online dating route. This is also a simple way to stay in touch. A simple message to their profile can get you a phone number which can help you move into a more intimate relationship.
For those that prefer meeting their soul mates in the non-virtual world the game is the same as ever. The more people you are exposed to, the higher the chances are that you will find that one special someone. However quantity doesn’t mean everything. Finding ways to join groups that have formed around your existing interests will allow you to pre screen the people you will be meeting. This can help provide you with something to talk about in the early stages of a relationship. Otherwise the best option is through a mutual acquaintance. Even in the age of computers and technology the highest percentage of married people met their spouse through a shared acquaintance. Let others know that you are interested in getting out there and it may be easier than you think to find the right person. You can leverage your personal network in order to get results in your romantic network. The great thing about networking is that they all entwine to help you create connections with other interesting people.
Here are three of the top books written on networking:
How to Win Friends & Influence People
Winning with People
Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time
