It's good to talk! - Networking

So this evening (13/04/16) a group of modules 1's  had a discussion with Paula as we are all about to embark on Reader 3 and our Critical Reflection! (time please slow down!) However despite the technology fairies not being on our side this evening we did manage to have quite a good discussion.

Now Lois - May made a really good point about never really understanding the value of networking professionally until she started her job - and I totally get that myself. her blog is a really good read http://lois-mayhunt.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/task-3a-current-networks.html

It's true though with the availability of text/email/Facebook etc. it's sometimes easy to forget who we speak too professionally and who we speak too as friends. Have you ever sent a text or email to the wrong person? I know I have! and I also know that I read in the magazine Cosmopolitan of a girl who sent an email out with pictures of her job which was meant to just be for colleagues in the office however it ended up going out to a client instead! - It's so easily done!

So my initial thoughts and feelings on networking as I embark on reader 3. I think it's an excellent way of being able to connect with other professionals for help and advice but we also network socially too and it's finding that balance and knowing the difference between who we speak too in a professional manner and who we class as social networking and is something that I am going to look into further - Now at the end of the skype last night I threw in the quote "It's not what you know - it's who you know" I feel this is extremely apt when speaking about networking. A topic that was discussed last night was; do you think that if you go for a job and you find out that another candidate knows people on the panel, do you think that gives them an advantage? Will the employer go with what they already know? Would love to hear others thoughts and opinions on this!