Something they never teach you in school is the importance of networking. I hate that word. It's irritating and a nice justification for kissing sweet ass. Going out for drinks afterwards, the insincere hugs and the stilted boring conversation. A cousin of mine is a genius at this. Sports, politics, history, food, sex, books, random facts, celebrities, funny stories, all little tidbits you store in the bank to break the ice with a stranger. You study the person, noting their expressions and tone of voice for cues to keep them engrossed in the conversation. Can you believe there are courses and tutors out there that can teach you this? Toastmasters takes things even further, a guide to teach individuals to communicate clearly and transform into eloquent social leaders.
Life has become a tiring whirlwind of online networking. I'm a freak since I have no facebook, twitter, or linkedin accounts. Most of my friends tirelessly update their online "Crackbook" persona with true diligence, a few have snagged leads for jobs and other opportunities.
Nothing beats a face to face conversation.
Regardless of all the photos or resumes tacked on Facebook I could never fully trust any of it. I've worked with professional deceivers all my life. Where do we find a lot of it? The internet. You can warp, destroy, and manipulate photos and documents, fabricate history, and create a believable story from nothing. Borrowed words, borrowed information, borrowed images.
Just a thought.
