AITP President's Corner - How to get the best out of your network

Maybe you are new to networking or have recently lost a job and feel like this is something new and uncomfortable that you have to do. I used to feel like that. The first time I came to an AITP meeting I felt awkward and tried to stay busy or latch onto someone so that people would not see me standing alone and think I was a loser.

First of all, I want to assure you that at AITP you are never considered a loser and we will try our best to reach out to you and make you feel welcome at every one of our meetings. If we are not living up to that promise, please let me know. We’re working, as a Chapter to, live out the motto/theme from the Cheers television show


"Where Everybody Knows Your Name"

Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
And they're always glad you came;
You want to be where you can see,
Our troubles are all the same;
You want to be where everybody knows your name.

Where Everybody Knows Your Name by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo


Second, one of the best ways I found to actually meet folks and interact with them in a tangible way is to get involved. I found this out when I first started attending the Chapter a few years back. It was awkward for me until I simply asked one of the Board members if there was anything I could do to help out. Opportunities opened up and suddenly meeting folks and developing relationships became much easier for me.

I found out that it's one thing to shake someone’s hand at a meeting, chat for a few minutes and pass them a business card. It is another to actually work alongside them. Working with others on projects or on committees is how trust is truly built in a network. People get a chance to see how you work firsthand, possibly under pressure of a deadline, and how you work on a team with others. At our “day jobs” our own reputations are on the line when we recommend someone for an opportunity. I always feel much more comfortable recommending someone for an opportunity when I have seen the person "in action". I'll bet you do too.

There are many things that we want to accomplish as a Chapter this year and they all take a little work...and as you know, many hands make light work. We will be putting together some Action Teams to make some of the goals that we have for this year become realities. Here's a sample of some things we're looking at:

* Charitable events like volunteering for the Kramden Institute
(rebuilding donated computers for those less fortunate) – more info at http://www.kramden.org/
* Planning one or two fun family events, like a trip to see the Durham Bulls this Summer
* Sponsoring, planning and hosting a region-wide AITP event in Pipestem, West Virginia in the Fall
* Planning, organizing and finding sponsors for our 2010 Holiday party in December

...and possibly others, maybe one you might suggest (we are always looking for suggestions)....


If one of these opportunities seems interesting to you and you want to supercharge your networking by actually meeting some folks and working a little bit in the trenches with them, then please drop me a line at ajhall98@gmail.com. I'll be happy to hook you up with the right folks. You may even have some fun and feel a sense of personal pride knowing that you gave back to the AITP community and possibly others in the broader RTP community as well.


See you at the next meeting!

AJ


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Andrew Hall
AITP, RTP Chapter President