Building My Network

Networking is the exchange and the accumulation of contacts, conversations, information, and experiences that allow us to empower and encourage each other in some professional aspect during the journey of building our careers. A conversation, no matter the length, has the potential to create unthinkable and unexpected opportunities – even a conversation as short as a thirty-second encounter. Thirty seconds hold more power than we can imagine. With practice and self-confidence, within just the length of half of a minute, we can tell the story of who we are and even engage those who we believed to be unapproachable.

The short, initial impression we leave on others has the potential to build a path that could land us a dream job or a competitive internship. A thirty-second pitch allows us to effectively communicate our achievements and our goals. Networking is the first step in creating a community that celebrates your personal accomplishments as they would their own and one that holds mutual support as a core value. Networking might not come easy to everyone right from the start– it didn’t to me. However, I’ve learned to dive into doing the things I find most out of my comfort zone, during the moments I fear it most. Forcing my fear aside has created space for unimaginable experiences. I’ve formed friendships and mentorships by allowing my confidence to be stronger than my fear of failure and unfamiliarity in social settings, such as in meeting individuals with reputable titles and extensive experience. Networking requires taking steps away from our usual routines; we can’t expect to grow if we limit ourselves to our comforts. We build strong networks by learning from our mistakes and practicing until we get it right, until the flow of our words and interactions become so natural that it feels normal.