Networking Importance

What is networking? Networking is the action of collaborating with others in order to swap information and create a professional contact. Networking can help with many things, the main thing being that creating those connections can help with getting an internship. It also helps to meet new people because no one knows which one of those people can suggest to you for something new like a job. There are many opportunities to network. It can happen before and after class, it could happen during events, it could even happen while eating lunch. When networking there are many different groups that those people will fall under. They could fall under school, work, community and even family. 

There are two different kinds of networks. The first one is a closed network. This means that those people most likely know each other, and they can offer the same information as well as resources and opportunities. This is one that gives a narrow range of opportunities given. There are advantages to having a closed network but there are also disadvantages. The advantages are that there is more trust, cooperation and common goals. The disadvantages are that there aren’t many resources, not that much influence outside the group and everyone thinks for the group. The second one is called an open network. This means that those people within that group don’t know each other. The advantage of an open network is that there will be more opportunities, more support and more access to rare information. There is more visibility and most likely to have more influence since we could be the bridge to bring people together. Knowing this, it will be good to be within both kinds of networks because one group can help and provide lots of support and the other group can keep pushing you to try new things.