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>While I realize that networking is not for everyone, I don't believe that
>networking to hire and be hired necessarily leads to the formation of an
>"old-boy's network" which would bar entry to newcomers neither old nor
>boyish...
Oh my...I had no idea that people thought of networking as setting up a
restrictive "old boy" network. Sheesh.
I have to say that one of my fondest, most enduring good feelings in the
last two decades was making contact with STC and becoming part of its
"network". The wonderful folks in it when I joined some <ahem!> years ago
passed me from one to another, mentoring and advising me until I was pretty
well equipped for life in the techcom lane. No old boys here...they were all
hard-nosed, experienced practitioners who didn't cut me slack, but
introduced me and let me in to the center of the circle. I'll always be
grateful to them, even if most of them have moved on now and are no longer
members in this chapter.
One of the most influential bits of business advice for me has been that of
Harvey MacKay, who wrote the "Sharks" series of books. His emphasis is
always, always on networking...if your house is burning down, grab the kids
and the Rolodex. I heartily recommend his books. I buy secondhand paperback
copies of them to give away.
MacKay's point, and I agree with it, is that while business *seems* to be a
sequence of tasks and jobs, it's actually people doing things with people.
People who know you, like you, and trust you, will work with and for you. A
gaggle of strangers won't accomplish as much. We've happily hired people
we've known from the network, in preference to those who just fire us a
resume. As a company, we also network at other levels, such as with
professional IT groups here locally, and with civic groups like the Chamber
of Commerce.
Tim Altom
Adobe Certified Expert, Acrobat
Simply Written, Inc.
The FrameMaker support people
Ask about Clustar Method training and consulting
317.899.5882 http://www.simplywritten.com
