Understanding Networking

Networking is defined as interacting with other people to exchange information to develop contacts, especially when trying to further one's career. In other words, networking is saying it's not so much about what you know it's who you know. You could have all the qualifications that a job is asking for and even though you'll have all those qualifications you still won't get hired. However, if you know somebody who works there you might have a greater chance at getting hired.

I've experienced this with my current job. Currently I'm a Certified Pharmacist Technician at Rite Aid Pharmacy. Somebody that I went to High School with was working at Rite Aid as a front end cashier at the time. Two years I wrote to him on Twitter and asked him was his job hiring; he then tagged in the store's manager and told me to ask him. Next thing I knew the manager had private messaged me and told me to come to store the next day for an interview. I got hired but he then told me he only had one open position and it was in the Pharmacy department of the store. I told him I didn't mind and here I am today, a Certified Pharmacy Technician with hopes of becoming a Pharmacist. Therefore, in my case it wasn't what I knew it was who I knew.

When I started my job I didn't have a clue about anything in the pharmacology field. That was one way of effectively using social media to network, another way is by creating a LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn profiles pretty much do the same thing. When I think about the people that are currently in my network I think back to my example I just used. I think about all the friends I have that work at different places. I also think about the people that I have on social media sites that work at different places as well. I believe there are some kindhearted people in the world that wouldn't mind putting you in a position to make money.  In conclusion, I believe networking is a great method to use when trying to further your career.

- Jocelyn Horton