How many times have you been in a PRSSA meeting or a PR class and have heard the term “networking”? Most likely, all of you reading this blog post have been told that networking is like the master key into the world of communications.
Networking is complicated and can sometimes be intimidating. Most people don’t know where to start when it comes to networking. Here’s the thing; you can’t be afraid of it. You can’t be afraid of the cold calls, out of the blue emails, or the “Hey, random question for you.” Just by putting yourself out there, you are extending your olive branch into the world of communication.
I’ll tell you all a funny story. I have worked restaurant jobs while in college, and many customers like to ask me what I’m majoring in. When I tell people that I am a public relations major, most nod, because they are not really sure what PR is. But, there was one gentleman that I waited on, and he said “Hm, PR. I could use PR in my company. It’s a startup. I think we could use someone like you on the team.” Then, the man handed me his business card. What I realized after my interaction with this gentleman is that every single business needs someone who understands at least the fundamentals of PR. Every single business needs PR to thrive, but it’s common for business owners to misunderstand the importance of what we, as PR people, do. So… we should use that to our advantage! Network by explaining what it is you do and why it’s important. Show other people why they need your PR skills!
Moral of the story: don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and network. You never know who you may connect with and who may need “someone like you on the team”.