We talk a lot about social networks and social networking these days, but it’s really nothing new. Only the tools are. People have been networking with peers for decades, much longer actually, but we’ve only really called it networking for a generation or so.
While tools like social networks, micro-blogging, or podcasting utilities, and the Internet itself bring powerful new (and fun) ways to network, it still relies on people. Without people, these tools are simply high-tech toys with little purpose.
Anyway, what I’m talking about here is your personal network of peers and associates in your industry or genre. The people that you interact with, compete with, and explore opportunities with. Your personal network is an important part of your career. I didn’t fully realize this until I left a cozy but uninspiring position a couple years ago. It wasn’t until spending a bit of time out participating, networking, and interacting with folks in and out of my field that I discovered how important a personal network is.
Interestingly, my personal network is grown from my mix of social media exploration and personal branding work. Through both interests, I’ve grown a network of friends and associates that I can share ideas with, send questions to, be a support network for peers, recommend people, help solve problems, and much more.
So, I strongly recommend paying attention to your network. The people you associate with professionally and socially have a lot to offer to you in both your personal and professional life. Not only does a person need to grow that network, but to maintain it as well. After all, as in most things, it’s the quality of the network, not the ultimate size that yields the greatest results and rewards.
Also, being a helpful resource to your network, not just a consumer of it, will bring more value to you than you can imagine. As you participate in your network – your friends and associates – make sure to help them find what they’re looking for. Help them with jobs, choosing the right iPod, finding the right hotel for vacation, answering those social network questions, or whatever else comes along. Be the resource that your network needs and your network will be there for you.
Glad you asked! I don’t know, guess it’s a lot of things. Work is one of them, and my current contract certainly eats up the business hours. Sure, the real job takes up the majority of the time in my day and week, but I’ve found more. I’m spending more time doing the things I forgot I liked to do.
And that is a key component to recharging and taking next steps I suppose. There’s lots of opportunities for people that they never seem to recognize for what they are. Until a couple years ago, I spent most of my career doing just that – not recognizing opportunity after opportunity waltzing past without my realizing it.
So far, this year has been amazing on so many fronts, that I’ve found more opportunities offline because of online efforts. These chances to do new things, combined with more time spent with my family have meant that I spend less time writing and posting on my blog here. That doesn’t mean that I’ve abandoned it by any stretch, but it does mean that I’ve not spent much time developing content and sharing ideas or new things.
I just wanted to take a minute when I seem to have a few extra and simply say “Hi!” to all the folks I don’t get a chance to chat with very often of late. I’ll be around the ‘net working on a number of different things, but hope to get a chance to sit over virtual coffee and catch up with many of you soon.
It’s Friday, and for the vast majority of us that brings the end of the work week and the beginning of the weekend. Cheers to you and your plans for a bit of relaxation.
One of the problems of contract work as opposed to consulting is the length of time that a person spends at one assignment. Sure, it’s nice to have a steady, billable gig for a time, but it brings its own unique challenges. One of these challenges is that team members in the organization, even management, seem to forget that you’re just a temporary troubleshooter.
The implications from this are that they start building plans or structure around you and not the role you’re filling. Many folks simply forget that you’re here to fulfill a specific need, run a single project, or fix a unique system that is outside the scope or abilities of the existing staff. It’s bothersome when people start talking as if you’ll be there “next year” or when managers start implying that they need to make sure to “keep you around”.
Like many, I’m flattered by those sentiments and sometimes think it may not be too bad to go back to the corporate gig with a desk & phone and a guaranteed payday every week. However, there are too many aspects of the independent consultant that are appealing to really let that happen.
While the risk of uncertain pay schedules is the biggest issue, the benefits of bringing your workspace with you every day are too many to ignore. You are your own boss. You ultimately control your schedule. You determine your pay rate. You are responsible for your personal evaluation. You decide how the profits are spent.
The net result of being an independent consultant is that you gain control over these things – even in a longer contract, these items are still under your purview. Giving up that control and “working for the man” is the part for many consultants that is simply unacceptable. The feeling that long-term contracts adds is a mix of the consulting/employee feeling, even though you have control, the longer you are sitting somewhere, the longer people think you belong there – or to them in some way.
That’s one of the aspects of contract work that bothers me – the expectation in many areas by the team members you work with that you either should be hired on, or ultimately will be. Only for them to be disappointed when it doesn’t happen. For me, I’m content to simply be a great consultant that helps clients achieve their goals.
One of the problems of contract work as opposed to consulting is the length of time that a person spends at one assignment. Sure, it’s nice to have a steady, billable gig for a time, but it brings its own unique challenges. One of these challenges is that team members in the organization, even management, seem to forget that you’re just a temporary troubleshooter.
The implications from this are that they start building plans or structure around you and not the role you’re filling. Many folks simply forget that you’re here to fulfill a specific need, run a single project, or fix a unique system that is outside the scope or abilities of the existing staff. It’s bothersome when people start talking as if you’ll be there “next year” or when managers start implying that they need to make sure to “keep you around”.
Like many, I’m flattered by those sentiments and sometimes think it may not be too bad to go back to the corporate gig with a desk & phone and a guaranteed payday every week. However, there are too many aspects of the independent consultant that are appealing to really let that happen.
While the risk of uncertain pay schedules is the biggest issue, the benefits of bringing your workspace with you every day are too many to ignore. You are your own boss. You ultimately control your schedule. You determine your pay rate. You are responsible for your personal evaluation. You decide how the profits are spent.
The net result of being an independent consultant is that you gain control over these things – even in a longer contract, these items are still under your purview. Giving up that control and “working for the man” is the part for many consultants that is simply unacceptable. The feeling that long-term contracts adds is a mix of the consulting/employee feeling, even though you have control, the longer you are sitting somewhere, the longer people think you belong there – or to them in some way.
That’s one of the aspects of contract work that bothers me – the expectation in many areas by the team members you work with that you either should be hired on, or ultimately will be. Only for them to be disappointed when it doesn’t happen. For me, I’m content to simply be a great consultant that helps clients achieve their goals.
@MAC_Arms Pay taxes when you make your money, pay taxes when you spend your money, pay taxes when you successfully invest your money, pay taxes when you save enough taxed money to afford a house, pay taxes to live in your house, pay taxes when you sell the house that you paid taxes on to
Yup, taxes are criminal and we need serious reforms. I've always said that if you want to see a tax revolt, make withholdings illegal and have Americans write a tax check every payday. They'll revolt for sure. You don't miss what you never had.
Sen. @berniemoreno says voter ID and proof of citizenship are simply common sense.
“We’re talking about a very low threshold — identify who you are and prove you’re a U.S. citizen when you register to vote. I think we’re getting closer to
