Module 6 Journal Entry

What is your professional networking strategy?

To be honest, I have not thought about my professional networking strategy, as I have been focused on what’s in front of me at the moment.  I went out to Indeed.com and looked at their suggestions from their “8 Effective Networking Strategies for Professionals” article (2021). They list their strategies as:

  • Join a networking group
  • Utilize social media
  • Grow a database of professional contacts
  • Join industry groups
  • Attend conventions and conferences
  • Send emails
  • Set up informational interviews
  • Offer assistance

I do not have networking groups on my radar, but I will ask for recommendations from Todd and others at C4. Luckily, I already have a LinkedIn profile going that I just need to update with my current internship position. I am building new networking contacts with the interactions I have with other IT professionals while I am currently in my internship capacity.  So, I would have to say that I am slowly building a database of professional contacts as I go along.  As far as industry groups is concerned, I have a few I have signed up with while I am a student such as COMPTIA.

The other strategies such as attending conventions and conferences I will have to keep in the back of my mind.  Funny enough I have attended a SharePoint convention a few years ago when my sister was involved through her job.  I was essentially crashing the convention with her, since I was just tagging along while she was on a work trip so I did not make any meaningful connections at the time.

It is obvious with the June graduation date looming this year that networking strategies is something I should start placing at the front of my mind.


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