社交关系网——职业生涯的命脉
爱思英语编者按:在你整个职业生涯中,你的社交关系网将会起到不同的作用。当然,随着时间的推移,它也会有所改变,在其建立之后,也许会变得更好,也许会破裂。但不管怎样,它可能将是你整个事业的命脉。 You've heard that old adage, "It's not what you know, but who you know." But what if you don't know anybody, then what? First off, let's back up. Why do you need a network? A network can serve many purposes: It can serve as a support group, a source of information, a source of job leads, and as a source of actual business. Your network is your family, your expert sources, your connections to potential employers, and the people with whom you do business. Now, you're assuming you don't know anyone professional. Are you sure about that? Even if you're new to the working world, you already know many people who can help you get a good start. Look at People You Know 看看你认识的人 * Your parents and relatives 你的父母和亲戚 They might not be able to help you directly (nepotismis a terrible way to start a career), but they might know people who can help you. Ask for introductions. * Your neighbors 你的邻居 * Your teachers and professors 你的老师和教授 Educators get besiegedby requests for recommendations, but if you have a good relationship with any of them, build upon it. Also, think about guest speakers or lecturers you may have heard while you were in school. Write them and see if they write back. * Old bosses from part-time jobs 以前兼职工作的上司 If you worked a dead-end job in high-school or college, you may be surprised to find out how and where your old boss has moved on. Keep in touch. * The people you interview with 曾经面试过你的人 Even if you don't get the job, keep in touch. They might think of you later. * Your friends getting into the job market 你已经参加工作的朋友 Now is the time to get in touch and turn those friendships into a professional network. As they climb up the ladder, you'll both find opportunities to help each other. Generating Professional Contacts 创造社交关系 You can also generate new professional contacts online and in your community. If you read about someone who sounds interesting, reach out and make contact. Show that you've got a good mind and a good personality. You never know where that will go. The real work begins once you get started in the job force. The best professional contacts will probably be developed in the context of your job. Maintain good records of who you meet, the context in which you met them, and what they do. Find reasons to keep in touch with the best of them. Join a professional social networking site like LinkedIn to help maintain your network, and maybe even to show it off. Throughout your professional life, your network will serve different purposes. It will also change over time -- as it builds up, becomes refined, and sometimes breaks down. But it likely will be the lifeblood of your career. |