🤝Networking!🤝 Made . . . ☝️😅 ✌🏾💫“Easy”💫✌🏾
Ways to Make Networking and Putting Yourself Out There Less Intimidating and Anxiety Inducing 😅👍*
(*DISCLAIMER: This is currently optimized for someone finishing an amazing Coding BootCamp (like Flatiron 😉✨))
Networking can be stressful! (To say the least 😅)
It’s an emotional roller-coaster!
There’s constant questioning of self, self.worth, self.capable?
The first solution I have to offer is to separate “Networking”, from “Job Searching” ⚖️🤯.
This will be your first motion in the direction of easing your anxieties. 🧘💫😊👍
Networking VS Job Searching
Networking is connecting.
Job Searching, is the literal act of, searching for a job.
I hope we have already began to separate the two. We’ll talk more later about where they flow into one another, but for the time being, just keep them separate in your mind ~ ️️️☯️️🌞🧘🌙☯️
There’s active job searching, and there’s general networking.
Networking
Networking is the act of branching your connections. Think about the classic phrase, “Your network, is your net-worth.”
If you are the only person you are connected to (bare with me on this analogy 😅) you can only exchange ideas and skills, with yourself 😮💫.
Once you add another person now, there there is someone else to exchange ideas and skills with. Keep expanding the numbers and BOOM! You’ve legit got a network🕸✨
But it’s more than just, who you know and what you know; it’s who knows, what you know. Who knows what you are interested and capable of.
It’s not just about having a bunch of people around, it’s the people around you, being of what’s around you and where you hope to head.
Job Searching
Job Searching is the pursuit of opportunities in which you can apply and exchange the skills you believe you have, for the means to living a sustainable life.
If jobSearch is set to true, you are actively seeking work, and open to opportunities. If it is set to false, you are likely content and in a secure space. So, let’s take that a bit further, you can be employed, and jobSearch can still be set to true.
Let’s “destructure” what’s encompassed in Job Seaching as a “prop”, and pull out
{ opportunities, maybePay🤷 } = this.props.jobSearch
And so on. Make it digestible! 😋
In summary, your constant life motion/rhythm/mantra should be, refine, connect, rest, repeat.
Refine your technical skills and soft skills, and connect.
Rest, heal, reflect, recharge.
Connect; check-in with folks already in your network, and reach out to new folks
You’d be surprised how many life lessons you can make out of coding analogies. Alchemize it! ALL skills, are transferable if you scale them keenly🌈🙌🏾✨👌🏾
Sooo. . . Where to Begin?👤👥🌪📑😩📑🌪👤👥
So BOOM! You’re now a software, tech, algo savvy individual…
Now what? 💻😕🧮
Let’s console.log(this.state.YOU).
WOAH! That’s a lot! 👀
🗄🗃📑📚📖😭🗂🗒📚🗃🗄
Let’s refine that a bit 🚪💫😬; console.log(this.state.YOU.wellBeing), and let’s take a look at this nested-jumble-of-a-mess real quick 🗂😅.
Self (throwback to Ruby! 💎💫)
Remember “health is wealth!”
Before you, take on anything that may be exhaustive, you should have a plan of action of how you will maintain your joy and sanity, and overall mental health. 😊👍
Remember, anything you do in life, YOU are doing it; take care of YOU 🤗💫.
Next is knowledge of self. We don’t have to get too existential here ✋😅.
You should just be able to have your story ready to go off the top of your head.
Concisely for elevator pitches, and more in detail for interviews, meetups and general conversation.
Ask yourself:
Who am I; what do i like?
What am working on (stay weary of the question, “What am I good at?” 😅; that leads to the realm of no return and no fun. ✋😅🚪💫)
Having your story consolidated and packaged prepares your for the baneful but inevitable question, “Tell me about yourself” 🙃.
Don’t Underestimate Yourself Within Reach?
If you are thinking, “Omq, I don’t know anyone; I don’t have any inside connects 😢” THINK AGAIN Pal!👐🏾🙃💫
Think about the fact that, ideally, everyone in your cohort connect with, has goals and dreams. They will eventually be someone, somewhere. Alchemize it! Shift that perspective! You are already connected to future CEOs and Admins and Entrepreneurs 🌈🙌🏾🔮✨😲
Don’t sleep on anybody!
(I don’t sleep on nobody; I believe you who is reading this is gifted, talented and amazing! 💪🏾💛🙌🏾✨)
You’d be surprised who may connect you a job, or another connection, or even teach you a simple skill or lesson which will springboard your entire life and continuing trajectory!
Also, think about all of the coaches and instructors and administrators you have interacted with on your journey.
Think about it this way: anyone you’ve ever connected with, is somewhere in your network! 🌐💫
Reach out, and just genuinely check-in
Creative Ways to Network
Attend meetups! Add folks on Linkden (first! — Keep it ProFesh; if somone’s your future boss, they don’t need to see you crazy “stories” from last weekend😅). Follow up within 24–48hours, and reference something specific y’all spoke about or worked on.
Read someone’s blog! Clap, and then reach out. ☝️😌 😲💫
Most folks have their Linkden or email, or a link to their github or personal site in their articles. Reach out and tell them what you enjoy about their blog or project. Ask if they are interested in collaborating or if they can provide more resources on the subject matter.
Think how nice it would feel for someone else to do that for you ☺️✨
On that note, why not take the time to fix up your old blogs! 😮
Try to rebuild older projects , large scale using react / redux
Reach out to someone in your cohort. Someone may be working on something, and if not, start something up!
When It Starts Coming Together 🤝🖼✨😲
Look at you! You made a new pal, and you reconnected with some old friends and classmates! You’re doing great!
Challenge yourself! How many folks know hardware in your network? Medical info? Cyber Security?
An addition I append to a phrase I made is this; “Your network , if your net-worth; don’t be a dollar short!”
What To Do When Nothing Seems To Be Working 📚💻📑😭📋📉📚
“Everyone I know got a job and I didn’t 😕”
Alchemize that thought process! “Turn that frown , upside down” 🙃💫🙂
You now know people who are employed! “Your network is your net-worth!” You are that much closer!✨🤏🏾
Ask what they did and what they learned!
Lastly!
Remember, if you’re always just trying to improve, learn, grow, heal, and connect, there never really is a “waiting game”; there’s always something to do! 📚🤹📚
Also!
If you haven’t received these vibrations, yet; today, in whichever of your truth(s), language(s), frequencie(s), here it is:
✨✨✨
💛 Thank you for being you;
💛 You are beautiful!
💛 You are capable!
💛 You’re doing a phenomenal job!
💛 Please don’t stop trying!
💛 I believe in you!
💛 Please, try, and be kind and patient with yourself!
💛 You are doing the best you can!
💛 It’s going to be okay! 🙏🏾💫
✨✨✨
