My Networking Idol

Over the past 13 years I’ve been observing the development of my son and watching how he interacts with people. One of his most endearing qualities is his giving and supportive nature which for years I just interpreted as sweet but now I see as having the potential to be so much more. He seems to be a natural at networking and here’s why:

• Give to give, not to get-As a toddler my son sought out kids to share his snacks with and he never expected anything in return. He really enjoyed the happiness he brought to others through pretzels, goldfish, carrot sticks, cookies etc.
• Help others-In grade school my son helped his friends who needed to complete their schoolwork before they could play. He knew that it was a win-win to help the friend because the sooner the homework was done, the sooner they could play. 
• Be an advocate for others-As a middle schooler, my son frequently compliments others. “Richard is the fastest runner, Adam can really act, my sister is a great singer, my mom makes the best brownies”…he really likes to spread the word about what others can do. 
• Be humble-My son is a pretty amazing artist and his specialties are cartooning and computer animation. But he doesn’t go around boasting about it…he just sees it as something he likes to do. He lets others spread the word about what he can do and he prefers it that way. He uploads his work on YouTube and Facebook and lets the community chime in on his prowess.

I’m hoping that as an adult my son can take these skills to the next level to work collaboratively with others, mentor staff, share job leads, make introductions, and promote his talents. He seems to have a natural predisposition towards networking, but certainly there is a lot to learn. What about you? Chances are good that you have a similar predisposition towards helping others and sharing information, but perhaps you’ve never thought of it strategically or reflected on how your nature can be leveraged to build quality relationships and a stronger network during a job search. Take some time to think about it. New connections and even job leads may be closer than you think.