Networking through Volunteering for Well-Known Organizations

As I haven't posted here for a few days due to midterm studying (not meant to make any excuses), I have new ideas regarding networking that I want to express. I have read some fantastic articles in a variety of areas. Since my recent blog topics are about networking, I'm going to wrap it up before I move onto something else. It's basically my self-reflection upon reading Kristen Fischer's article about networking.

Her experience of basically having time and money wasted in socializing functions or dinners that did not progress anything in her objectives is far too common in everyone. In fact, she has pointed out the common pitfalls, for example, not bothering to network until too late, i.e. unemployed, or lacking clear and definitive goals and objectives in networking opportunities. She also laid out strategies and responsibility of making the relationship last long-term, not just when the certain contact's help is needed. My article is more about ways of building sustained relationships from networking perspective. This is sparked partly from reading Fischer's article, and partly from my conversation with a former team-mate on an extracurricular design team regarding my observation on a lackluster career fair.

On an international and direct front, joining Brazen Careerist for me is the next best career move so far compared to starting my own personal blog. It allowed me to have meaningful and memorable conversations with a lot of new people. These interactions help sustain the relationship if there are favors to be asked from both parties. On a personal, face-to-face front, my former team-mate suggested volunteering for a well-known international organization to get to know people worldwide. He personally volunteers for scouts and frequently has opportunities to travel abroad as part of the volunteering mission. Personally, I am currently volunteering for two international organizations that are very well-known. The first one is Toastmasters International, which is arguably the largest organization that promotes communication and leadership improvement. The second one is Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, which is arguably the largest technical society in the world. However, I am volunteering for both those organizations on a local front. While I have managed to travel on a networking trip with the latter organization, I have yet been able to take advantage of opportunities of meeting more people in attending conferences, particularly when some of them have opportunities for partial reimbursement. Although part of my troubles of leveraging my networks through my involvement in those organization come from being determined on my goals, these contacts are available whenever I need help from them, and I have done my best to help my contacts likewise in return.

Other than perhaps contacts through my parents or family friends, these contacts that I have met through volunteering for the organizations are best sources of career advices or information, ranking ahead of career services in colleges, or new people who I meet on Twitter or Brazen Careerist, for example (no offense, but these networks are for meeting people whom I DO NOT know yet rather than knowing them better). The reason is they personally know YOU at least to some degree. When you are definitive about your goals of how the contact can help you, talking to that contact should be very close to a fast-track to meeting your goals, whether as to finding new leads for opportunities, learning tips for certain processes, or meeting new friends and companions.