In today’s new media environment, we hear a lot about the power of social networking to expand careers and bolster business. But building networks offline is critical too, and time-tested for many.
Either way, the importance of networking can’t be underestimated. But we want to know which you think works best – online or in person networking?
Your Turn: Share your networking success stories in the comments!
Tough call about networking in person vs. online. I surprised myself when after considering my current activites, I choose online. The importance of in person networking (phone or physical) cannot be overstated, and in most cases regardless of how it begins, successful networking requires in person connections. That said, I chose online because of: 1) the surpassing reach, 2) the ability to quickly exchange large amounts of well-rganized information, and 3) the opportunity to catalog all the details in an accessible way to maintain high-quality ongoing communication. I have been surprised at the quantity and quality of online conenctions I have created in the last 6 months, much of which has or is turning into profitable activity (if that’s the key indication of networking success). Take Mike Lee for instance: I knew him only vaguely at APU in CA more than 15 years ago. I bumped into him last at HillSong Church in Sydney Aus. We live on opposite corners of the US. The liklihood of connection is almost none… and yet we just reconnected online. Will I ever see him again? Maybe. Will we inspire one another and do great work together? Very likely. I’m an old school girl in many ways, and I love this new school tool.