Do you see Networking as too complicated, too time-consuming, and too fake? That’s understandable. We’re all way too busy, and we’ve all seen the slimy schmoozer who’s given networking such a bad name—we don’t want to be like that. The problem is that networking really is essential to your career success. With a great network, you’ll hear about job leads or opportunities you’d otherwise miss. You’ll be more successful in your job because you can tap into the collective knowledge and experience of a lot of smart people. So, if you hate networking but you know you need to, start here: 1. Focus Less On “Networking” And More On Building Relationships If you hate networking, it may be because you don’t want to feel as if you are only in it for what you can get from someone (a few people who do that very thing have given networking a bad name). The truth is that good networking isn’t about racking up a body count—it’s about building relationships. If some of these relationships turn into great friendships, that’s wonderful, but if most of them are simple friendly acquaintances, that’s great, too. When you think about networking, remember: not every meeting needs to have a goal. The important thing is to establish or refresh a connection. 2. Offer Help To Others One way to get over the feeling of being a networking parasite is to try to give more than you get. When you email or message your network, try to send them something you think they might enjoy—a link to an article, the...

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