Ease Into Networking
—Kate Traynor
BETHESDA, MD, 02 January 2002 — If the thought
of networking with colleagues makes you cringe, consider
social networking instead.
A social network is a group of friends and acquaintances
who interact during activities that are not necessarily
work-related. You can cultivate a social network
by joining an alumni association, social club, or
civic organization; working as a volunteer; or getting
involved in just about any activity that involves
others.
Even if your social network is completely unrelated
to your work life, you may develop friendships and
contacts that could prove useful to your job prospects.
And if you ever face a job transfer, knowing how
to create a new social network from scratch in a
new town will be a vital skill. But, where do you
start?
Civic and community organizations. Type a state
or town name or a ZIP code into Yahoo Inc.’s "get
local" search engine to bring up information
about local civic, cultural, religious, sports-related,
business-oriented, and other groups you can join.
Alumni associations. Your fellow college and pharmacy-school
graduates are a ready-made community of people who
have at least one thing in common—their academic
experiences. Alumni groups may gather to watch a
ball game, enjoy a meal, attend a seminar, or volunteer
for charity or fundraising events. Even if you have
moved far away from your old school, you may be able
to join a local chapter of your alumni association.
Volunteer groups. To find opportunities to perform
volunteer work in your community, visit VolunteerMatch and type your ZIP code into the search engine. Organizations
listed with VolunteerMatch include groups involved
in health care, literacy, conservation, politics,
and many other issues.
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