I wanted to share this experience, primarily with my peers who will soon be graduating from college, to show the value of communication and networking at ANY time…
Back in early December, I was traveling home from a business trip in Seattle. I boarded my connecting flight, and I sat next to a nice gentleman (we’ll call him Jace) who was busy perusing a novel. Naturally, I followed airline passenger protocol and tried my best to not deter his attention. This did not last long. About a half-hour into the flight, he placed the book page-down on his lap as the flight attendant came by offering drinks. I noticed the cover (seen below) and saw this was actually a book on leadership, and as he turned around from the flight attendant, I asked him about whether or not Proverbs 18:13 was written in (“To answer before listening – that is folly and shame”). This was the hook! We talked, immediately discovering common ground in both our relationships with Christ and our passion for leadership and success. I listened intently, asking questions about his career and his interests. I learned that he is a sales manager with a large materials and manufacturing company, and he handles both national and international accounts. We talked finance, we talked quality control, and we talked of the management of manufacturing costs in the midst of trade wars. Ultimately, though, what left a lasting impression was our discussion on networking and communication.
You see, by the end of this flight a half-hour later, Jace gave me his card and told me to give him a call if I ever wanted a job with him. Our discussions on networking led to the embodiment of the very principles we talked about! As we talked, I gave him my
brief “elevator pitch” out of habit (as you should certainly make a habit of doing yourself!) and that expanded our discussion to my own goals and aspirations. He was as equally interested in me, a young graduate in a big pond, as I was in him. We talked about the value of networking and the often lost-art of communicating outside of your comfort zone. He was amazed at the lack of passion and drive he sees in people, those who seem content to be the faceless employees at the back of the room, and he commended those who are willing to speak out and make impressions on others. Just prior to landing, he said that if I was looking to try a different career path, he wanted me to give him a call. I gave him my card as well, and I made a mental note to send him an email thanking him for his insightful discussion and his gracious offer. We departed the plane and walked to the baggage claim together, still deep in discussion about business and how to motivate employees. By the time we said our good-byes, it felt as if I was waving away and old friend rather than a stranger I had only known for an hour. This is the power of networking.
I graduated college in May of 2018 and I have been very blessed to land an exceptional job at 22 years old (now 23) with the opportunity to travel and meet individuals like Jace. Despite my fortunate circumstances, I attribute much of my success to one major factor - Networking. I’m not actively looking for a job, no, but that’s not all that networking is about; as you build your list of contacts, you will linearly build your list of strengths, a repertoire of abilities and knowledge that will help in your current job or one later in your career. Every job in my life has been found, and secured, on an expansive network of successful individuals who have helped to guide and instruct me. Resumes are great and skills are better, but nothing can replace relationships when it’s time to seek a job. Make a habit of talking to people, make a habit of asking questions and showing interest in others’ endeavors, and make a habit of listening before answering. You never know when you’ll meet a Jace on your own path, but it happens more often than you may think.
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