Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty

I generally despise anyone who specifically makes a point of “networking”, because the term itself wreaks of disingenuous ladder climbing corporate fuckos, which grinds in the opposite direction of my inner Wisconsinite. Blech. But, this youtuber Internet of Bugs recommended this book, and I kinda trust him as my parasocial mentor.

I did listen to the book, and it’s got some great takeaways:

• Build relationships before you need them. Networking is about creating genuine connections long before you need to rely on them. Hence the name of the book.
• Have a snappy answer to the question “what do you do?”. There are two things people will remember you by. One is your name, the other is the answer to this question. Have a snappy, memorable answer.
• Be polite. It makes a huge difference.
• Networking is not a numbers game. It’s a game of making a list of the right people that you can depend on.
• Nobody plans to fail, people only fail to plan. - Do your homework about the people you’re working with, understand what they do, their interests, and their needs.
• Give before you receive: Be willing to offer help, support, and value to others without expecting anything in return.
• Be visible: Attend events, join organizations, and be an active participant in your community and industry.
• Never eat alone: Use meals as an opportunity to connect with others and build relationships. Not sure I can really commit to this one, but something to consider.
• Learn to listen: Effective networking is more about listening and understanding others than talking about yourself.