University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
Taking the Work Out of Networking
Book

Taking the Work Out of Networking

An Introvert's Guide to Making Connections That Count

Karen Wickre
Gallery Books, 2018
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Concrete Examples
  • For Beginners

Recommendation

If you hate networking, Twitter and Google veteran Karen Wickre has bad news and good news. The bad: You can’t just skip it. The good: Great networking now is not like the awful nametag confabs of your nightmares. She shows how using social media strategically can make connecting easier, and describes painless ways to tap your network for leads, intros, and more. Wickre, a self-described introvert, writes in an upbeat tone, explaining how to craft a social media persona, maintain connections and get comfy with social protocols. Introverts will benefit from her low-pressure routes to connection.

Summary

Introverts Can Be Natural Networkers

If you’re like most people, you think of networking as necessary but burdensome. The word conjures images of superficial conversations between two strangers, each calculating the other’s potential value. For an introvert, the process can be especially daunting. Pushing yourself and your business cards on others, making small talk, feeling at ease in crowds – such interactions don’t come naturally to introverts.

The good news is that making connections doesn’t have to feel stressful or contrived. With the right strategies and digital tools, you can turn networking into a relaxed, even enjoyable process. Many traits of an introverted personality can work to your advantage.

Networking Is Not Optional

Nurturing a personal network has become indispensable to professional life. American workers change jobs much more frequently than they did in the past, and they move more often. More people are self-employed, and many work multiple jobs in the gig economy. To navigate this environment, you need to call on a diverse web of people, not only for job leads but for information, advice, ...

About the Author

Former editorial director at Twitter and Google Karen Wickre serves on the boards of the John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships program at Stanford, the International Center for Journalists and the News Literacy Project.

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