TOP 10 FRIDAY: A QUICK GUIDE TO NETWORKING

I don't care what you do! Regardless of if you are in sales, or you are a librarian, networking is a skill everyone needs.  We've all heard the saying: "It's about who you know". Well, who you know most definitely helps.  That and not being a complete dumbass!  Below are 5 reasons you're horrible at networking and another 5 on how to hone in on your already practiced networking skills. You never know...after this post you just might get a foot on the path in the right direction or at least discover that the reason you suck really is "Just You"!

YOU SUCK AT NETWORKING IF:

10.  YOU ONLY HANG AROUND WITH PEOPLE YOU FEEL COMFORTABE WITH.   Meeting people and networking is about stepping out of your comfort zone.

9.  YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING/ YOU'RE NOT INTERESTING.  How do you expect to meet people when you don't do anything? If you have nothing to say or anything worth listening to, it's for a reason...You Suck!

8.  YOU'RE A LIAR. - Lying always comes back to bite you in the ass.  If you have to tell a lie to sound better, you're not fooling anyone in the long run.

7.  YOU'RE NEGATIVE - You complain, woe is you, life is about what you were handed and how bad it
sucked,  the weather is crappy AGAIN, and most importantly... others constantly feel bad for you?  People arn't going to want to socialize with you more, they are thinking of how to get rid of you so they can move on with living their not so depressing lives.

6.  YOU ARE SELFISH - See #1 below on why this trait is bad if it's something you've been told more than once.

IMPROVE YOUR NETWORKING SKILLS BY:

5. SMILE AND DON'T TAKE LIFE TOO SERIOUSLY. - It's life! Unless you're at a funeral (then we need a post on inappropriate times to network) then be happy you're alive and meeting new people.  You never know what they will bring to the table and what you can learn from each other.

4.  LISTEN - It's not all about you here, I know, shocking!

3.  KNOW YOUR 5 MOST INTERESTING STORIES. - No two people are alike and there are definitely some characters out there, but everyone loves a good story.  Know yours and conversation will never be hard.

2.  BE CONFIDENT. - There's something that everyone does really well.  If it's what line of work you are in, being a mother/father, playing a sport or working out. Maybe you just know a lot of interesting people.  You do have things to say that other people do not know.  If you're prepared, (#3) then you should be confident.  People are confident in you, when you're confident in yourself.

1. DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE ELSE FIRST. - I saw this on someone's twitter status the other day (again, sorry I don't know who) and it inspired this entire post.  Networking is about what you bring to the table.  If you walk around wondering what everyone else can do for you, you're not going to get very far. 

I'd like to think I'm good enough at networking to qualify in writing this post.  I thoroughly enjoy meeting new people, I love learning about their life experiences and most importantly I love doing what I can to make a mark in people's lives...or at least be a memory for a moment. 

Happy Friday!