Networking, Networking, Networking

It's certainly the buzzword of our times and according to my career coach - one of the most effective ways of getting that all important job.

I am a bit of a strange character of sorts and at times can be a demon networker and others be a shrinking violet in the corner who just wants to go home. All these observations were confirmed by psychometric testing in the past year - I have a personality of extremes and not one typical for a marketer.

Anyway, I digress yet again. In terms of networking I've been focusing on 2 things - attending things connected with fundraising which I ideally want to move into. The other is the online networking side of things.

In terms of face to face networking I tend to give myself a goal each time or else I'd just skulk away with nothing. It normally comprises talking to x amount of people or asking a question etc. Nothing drastic but at least something. I am building up a nice little network of friends so it is working. Plus some of them even email me links to jobs that they hear of which is fab.

I did do a very funny thing though - please bear in mind that one of my nicknames is 'blond'. Kind of apt apart from the fact that I am very dark all over including my general skin tone. I was at a networking thing and was explaining what I'd been up to that day. I managed to say that "I'd been running in the woods under a canape so I hadn't got caught in the rain". It was one of those where I heard what I'd said and started to laugh as did they. At least now I'll always be remembered as the canape girl.