I currently write the editorial for the PASS Connector which is published every two weeks as part of my role on the Board of Directors. I'm cross posting those editorials here as well as to the main PASS blog.
How good are you at meeting new people at a user group meeting or a conference? Do you remember names? Do you follow up, or the business cards wind up being discarded without looking at them? Do you wish you were better at networking?
This year at the PASS Summit we’re trying to do more than just have ‘networking events’, for the first time we have real training available to help you learn to network. Noted author Don Gabor will be presenting a 2 hour seminar the afternoon of Nov 2nd where you may not learn it all, but you’ll get a good start! It’s $60 for the two hour seminar and includes a signed copy of his book. Go to the seminar, learn some skills, and then move right into the opening night reception to give them a try in the real world.
You might go because you need to grow your networking skills, but it also represents a great networking opportunity itself. Author and speaker Grant Fritchey will be there and blogged about why he plans to attend. So did PASS Board member Tom Larock. Summit speaker Kendal Van Dyke and PASS volunteer Jack Corbett will be attending. Past President Kevin Kline will be there and so will Steve Jones from SQLServerCentral.com. I’ll be attending and blogged about why as well.
We’re going to try for a group photo of all 100 attendees together, and invite them all to join an attendee only LinkedIn group to make sure everyone has a chance to decide who they want to meet and has a way to save the connections they make.
Networking is a vital career skill. It doesn’t mean you need a job or have something to sell, often having that connection means you can help someone else, often in unexpected ways. More practically, attending an event like the PASS Summit is a lot more fun when you connect with people.
Have a question about the networking seminar, the PASS Summit, or PASS in general? Email me at andy.warren@sqlpass.org and we’ll get you an answer.
