Mike Abasov

There is nothing more important for your success than networking. Your marks matter zilch. Your initial capital is irrelevant. In order to be successful, you need networking. In order to get your dream job, you need networking. 

You need networking, and there is no substitute for this need.

What can networking give you?

Every job I’ve had so far, I got because of the people I’d met. I’ve also gained a lot of knowledge and insights from these people. And opportunities present themselves all the time. 

Let’s look at a few examples.

When I was working as a freelancer, my classmate suggested bidding on a project for a company who’s owner was a family friend of his. This connection gave me an opportunity to rebrand one of the largest recycling companies in Ukraine.

My online efforts, such as blogging and participating in different forums and social networks, resulted in an unexpected proposal to work as a social media manager at uCoz.com. I wasn’t even looking for this job; the owner contacted me himself.

When going to meetups this summer, I’ve met people from HootSuite. Two weeks later I started my internship there, which resulted in an amazing part-time job.

On another note, even getting to know baristas at my local coffee shops gets me regular discounts and much better customer service.

What is it all about?

Networking is not about using people, and it’s purpose shouldn’t be selfish at all. I see networking as an opportunity to help others achieve their goals, which eventually leads to others helping you.

For instance, I’ve brought tens of contracts over the years to my freelance friends without asking (or hoping) for any reciprocity.

Consider it karma. You meet people; you help them; they help you. The act of helping is not always direct (me – you, you – me), but magically good things happen all the time.

Widening the net

The more people you know, the more opportunities present themselves. The deeper your connections with those people are, the better are the opportunities.

And, of course, the more interesting, influential and important those people are, the more awesome things await.

Hiring involves humans

You might think that marks are all that matters. You are mistaken. In the end, the act of hiring boils down to a small number of people involved in the decision. Knowing these people beforehand influences the outcome dramatically.

Your “A+” in “Chemistry 101” means nothing, when your competitor had a meaningful discussion with the CEO at a recent conference.

On the other hand, your “C” in “Managerial Economics” means nothing, if you were recommended to the business owner by her friend who is also your ex-boss.

4.0 GPA will not get you your dream job. You have to realize that, get over yourself and start doing something actually useful.

More posts to come

There is no way I can talk about everything networking-related in one post. But I have about 20 more posts to come in the future weeks.

The takeaway point of these few paragraphs is simple: networking is very important. As long as you understand it, you are half-way to success.

Please, if you have any questions about why or how to network correctly, ask them in the comments below or by contacting me directly. I’ll be happy to answer them for you and other readers.

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