Sharing is Caring, a lesson on networking
Last month I had the privilege of being part of a panel discussion run by the Chicago chapter of Women Who Code. The topic of the panel was discussing career transitions and how to navigate them, and the discussion also journeyed into fear, imposter syndrome, creating personal boundaries, and the value of true networking. True networking is not “eat free food, avoid talking to any other humans, and leave as soon as you can because you hate networking”. I mean, that’s a valid approach, just one that sounds miserable to me :) And I am not advocating that you should network just to do it if you truly find it miserable, I have found however, that many people that I talk to who dislike networking are willing to give it another go when they hear about my mindset and approach. So, hear me out…
I’ve never felt like networking was slimy or a waste of time, likely because I have always viewed networking through the lens of my core values - authenticity, connection, and service to others. I walked into the room with a personal goal of helping at least one person make a new connection, get a lead on an open position, or providing helpful advice/experience. I went in with no agenda for myself, I had (my own atheistic version of) faith that my network would catch me when I needed it because I’d woven myself into it with kindness over the years. This event was no different. I was nervous to share my story, and to share the vulnerable and hard work I’d done to rebuild my resume and a networking brief to keep my conversations focused on what I needed to thrive, and to talk about my fear of repeating the past behaviors and work habits that led to the burnout I was still recovering from. What I found is that people connected with my story, felt my fears themselves, and my entire messy self was embraced with open arms by people I’d never met, as well as some warm and friendly faces from networking that I’d done many, many years prior (in the before times, when getting together was something we just did).
I met women who were new to the industry and looking for their own places, experienced technologists starting to feel the fraying of burnout and considering their own much needed sabbatical, recruiters who gave me so much valuable advice and encouragement for my search, and many, many people who wanted to connect with me to share their own stories, and to ask how they could support me. My net was catching me, and 95% of this net was new to me just a few hours prior. I may not be spiritual, but I do believe the positive energy and kindness we send out into the world eventually comes back to us, in small ways and in this case, big ones.
A very friendly and generous recruiter* that I met at the event, reached out to later to both give me advice on my job search and the market I was facing, and to thank me for for my advice, which she summed up in a way I just had to share below:
Be unapologetic about your career boundaries.
It’s imperative to network because “Your network is there to catch you when you fall, since you have been there for everyone else.” Your network is your safety net. Cultivate your network .
3. Be of service to others. Networking isn’t about what someone can do for you, but what you can do for others.
It felt validating, reassuring, and beautiful. I hope it resonates with you, even in a small way. Even if your job is secure, keep working on that net by reaching out to others who may have been laid off, or who are feeling anxiety about the environment they’re in. Ask what you can do to support them, expect and ask for nothing in return. Because that net, it will catch you someday too.
*If you’re looking to connect with a recruiter, I really enjoyed talking to Brittany Goss from Go Talent Solutions, a diversity focused recruitment & consulting firm. I am sharing this information and her words with her permission.
