Thursday, April 2, 2009

Why Networks Matter: Online and Offline

Networks are crucial in our lives in order to maintain and build relationships, whether it be with friends or to promote ourselves for job opportunities. Who you know, and how you them, plays a key role in finding a career and establishing yourself in the workforce. As I reflect on the social networks Ive(ps the apostrophe button doesnt work on this library CPU) developed over my life it makes me think of which form of networking is most effective. Obviously, meeting someone face-to-face and leaving a good impression is a great way to develop recognition and build a network, but Ive realized that as Ive gotten older the internet and online communities have continued to play very important roles in establishing social networks. People Ive had lectures with, played intramurals with or against, or people Ive seen out on the town have added me to Facebook and the relationship started from here. Had they not added me or had I not added them, I possibly would never have talked to them again. Im not saying that the relationships with these people are only on Facebook, Im saying that it was because we found each other on Facebook that lead to more face-to-face talking and getting to know each other. Posting event invites online leads to face-to-face meetings, and if one friend adds you the odds are two of their friends know you and are going to add you afterwards. I do thank Facebook greatly for the friends Ive made by using their social network, and I think the best thing about Facebook is that it can initiate a relationship by simply letting someone know that you want to be their friend.
Ive also heard of companies asking to see Facebook profiles when people are applying for jobs, which is kind of crazy but maybe thats whats going to happen as our technological society continues to develop. In conclusion, who you know and how you know them is going to play a big role in distinguishing your career and Online networking can definitely contribute to the size and success of your social networks.

1 comment:

  1. I also agree with the original post above, that networking is probably the most important tool to have in order to succeed on many levels. Networking opens up new job opportunities and friendships that may be crucial to one's life. I can think of many examples where something has happened because of who I knew. I think Facebook has helped reconnect people, that otherwise would had never kept in touch. I think it is amazing how we can just look up anyone we have ever come in contact with, and most likely they will be on Facebook. People who I went to elementary school with send me friend requests, and I am amazed that this network lets us reconnect. I do not agree that potential employers should have the right to check people's Facebook profile before hiring. At the same time, I think people should be conscious of what their profile offers, because you never know who might come in contact with it. A couple friends of mine are working on a site called "Present U", and this is strictly for job employment. People who sign up for an account create a profile, similar to Facebook, but base it on work experience. There is a place to upload your resume, a spot for past employers to comment about your skills and work ethic, a place to interact with employers, as these companies post job openings, etc. It is not a place to upload picture albums of last night's party and other personal interests and hobbies. My friends will have the site up and running soon, so it will be interesting to see how popular this becomes.
    Overall, I think technology helps us further creative networks, as well as keep these contacts alive. The combined actions of meeting people in public and emailing or messaging them online, make these connections even stronger. I think in the future, communicating through technology will become even more crucial to maintain these ties.

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