Monday, February 27, 2012

Networking and Social Media Networks


This weekend as many current Maxwell students ventured to Washington DC for our annual networking trip, I was struck by the interaction between networking in the traditional sense and social media networks. At a recent event that I attended, the presenter suggested searching for attendees on LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social media platforms prior to a networking event.  Previously I have used these tools to connect and follow up with people I have met; using them in anticipation of meeting someone was something I hadn’t previously considered.

While I was a little uncomfortable with the idea initially, as I began to find several of the attendees’ social media pages I began to realize how invaluable the information would be. Finding commonalities in experience and interests gave me a much better idea of how our meeting could be mutually beneficial, and also allowed me time in advance to determine appropriate questions. 

After networking events, I have often felt I could have utilized my time better; having prior detailed knowledge of potential contacts allowed me to make the most effective use of our time. I came away with many meaningful interactions and a new appreciation for the value of both traditional and social media networking.

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