You Belong Here

I'm going to keep this short because my vodka & grapefruit & vodka cocktail is perfectly iced and I'm feeling pretty good for a Tuesday.

But when I regularly come up against this stupid idea that networking is somehow "using" people, and it's "weird" or too much work...I cannot be silent. That sh*t is not okay! (That's, by the way, the exact same noble outrage I feel when I go to a birthday party and the cupcakes are made of carrot cake....and the terrorists win. Carrot cake is not okay!)

Networking is what humans do. Networking, as in exchanging information, as in making connections based on shared histories, shared experienced, a shared love of Steve McQueen movies, for example, is normal...it's what. People. Do! Anyone who tells you that they didn't network their way into their current job is either 1) lying or 2) has a crappy job he/she hates anyway, so why are you listening to them, when my cocktail is getting warm!

It seriously boggles my brain how many people would seemingly rather send off hundreds of resumes to essentially dead-letter boxes, than work through their LinkedIn connections, or their Facebook friends. I almost have to wonder: do these people think they don't deserve the opportunities they so badly desire? Because they're wasting their time! And these very same people get all bent out of shape when you suggest, well hey, you have 870 f**king Facebook friends; maybe instead of playing Candy Crush with them and misquoting Kanye, maybe you have a couple of intelligent email exchanges and see how you could help each other.

And, P.S., Sunshine: everyone successful networks. The Pope, fer Chrissake, networks to be named the Pope! He's not answering an ad on Monster.com or Craigslist. Why did your parents go into debt for your college education? I mean, besides the guilt and their desire to get you out of the house. They wanted you to have access to a network which could give you lifelong opportunities! A network you are already a part of. A network you belong to.

 Maybe the problem is that so many people feel that they have nothing to offer...because they see so little in themselves, I wonder? I don't like that. That sh*t is not okay. You're as important as anyone else in your alumni network, for example. And when you understand that, then you'll also understand that you're not using anyone, you're offering them a gift: the gift of all the talent you uniquely bring to the table.

I'm going to enjoy this cocktail, but you should feel free to email me @carlotazee@gmail.com, if you want some help figuring out how best to network yourself to create any opportunity you desire. Become a fan of my Facebook page, "Carlotaworldwide Creativity Yenta," for a free consultation.

Besos,
C.