If you consider yourself a networker, there’s a good chance you’re already an AAA member of a community group or organization with its own enterprise network solutions group. AAA is an acronym for “Association of Advanced-Level Students.” It’s a student organization that provides networking opportunities for students and faculty members.
Those who are in the C-Suites of the enterprise often think they’re at the top of the social food chain, but in reality, that’s not necessarily so.
Nowadays, when everyone seems more connected than ever with an enterprise network solutions provider, it can be easy to forget that there’s a whole world beyond your social network. Some people would love nothing more than to learn from you or help you solve problems—and it doesn’t matter if they’re your employees or colleagues from another company!
The next step is to use social media and tools like Twitter, Yammer, and LinkedIn to connect with people. You can do this regularly or when you need help.
- Connect with your clients or customers on Twitter, Yammer, or LinkedIn.
- Send them messages through these platforms when they ask for advice or help with something that doesn’t require an immediate response but would benefit from some information later down the line.
Become active in at least one community group and one organization that has a network.
Community groups are a great way to meet people, learn new skills and build your network. They can also be an excellent vehicle for getting involved in your local community.
- Find an organization or club with a network at its mission’s center. Suppose you’re looking for something specific like volunteering. In that case, this might not be it—but if you want to get involved with an organization that does more than just volunteer work (like donating money), then look for one that’s focused on how they use their resources (and make sure they’re doing good things).
- Find out what activities are happening through this group and attend them if possible!
It’s becoming part of the conversation and offering constructive feedback when asked is important.
As you begin to network, it’s important to remember that you are not the only person who needs help. There are thousands of people out there looking for answers and guidance in their careers, so it’s important to be willing to help others. You might have some suggestions on how they could improve their networking skills or what they should do next.
It can also be helpful if your ability as a networker allows people around you (including yourself) access to new opportunities; when someone reaches out for advice or assistance, offer up some of your own knowledge too! It’s never bad having something new under our belt; even if we don’t end up using those skills ourselves in our future careers it still shows off our abilities as communicators and listeners!
Join in these conversations with people around the same stage of their career development as you.
Joining in these conversations is the best way to ensure you’re staying relevant, and it’s a great way to meet people who are on your same career path.
- Join conversations that are relevant to your industry or company. If you don’t know what those are, start by listening carefully. You’ll hear things like “best practices,” “the latest trends,” and so on.
- Join conversations that are relevant to your team (and possibly even community). This can mean joining general discussion threads about topics like technology or business strategy, but it can also mean asking questions that help others understand how they can make their own careers better by following someone else’s lead.
The AAA program is a good opportunity to start thinking about how you can become more effective and efficient in your enterprise network solutions. If you’re like most individuals, you’ll find this to be an exciting moment because it signals the emergence of a new network and the search for interpersonal connections.
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