Almost everyone I know is on Facebook. Most of the people I work with or have worked with are on Linkedin.  And I get weekly emails from a dozen other social networking sites.

So it seems to me that a lot of people are actively networking.

And still many people I talk to think that the word “networking” is a dirty term that conjures up car salesmen and business card collectors – Glengarry Glenross types with the “always be closing” attitude.

I think that its an old world view and that we all need to realize that individual professionals in all industries – and all companies – are permanent networkers:

1. Networking is a core aspect of career growth
   There are four core elements that shape everyone’s career advancement: Formal training (ability to do the job), experience, luck, and who you know.
2. Networking = your professional relationships
   Your professional network includes everyone that you work with and that you’ve developed a relationship with – it’s not just people you meet at conferences and business lunches. 
    
3. We are all free agents… or should be
   Still banking on that long-term pension?  Confident that you’re company is going to protect your job when things get tight?  One of my favorite business books is Die Broke where a great case is made for working as a free agent and treating your career as a business.  We should all be constantly looking for “better opportunities” (and employment studies show this is becoming the norm).  I have been talking to a lot of people about personal branding and I think it’s gaining a lot of traction in today’s economic climate.
    
4. Consumers want to work with companies who care
   If you haven’t heard of Zappos, you should google them and read about their fantastic customer service.  Open, honest relationships are at the core of great customer service.  Today too many companies are faking this with call centers using fancy CRM systems or by sending “personalized” emails by putting my name in the introduction.  But today’s companies need to “network” with their clients and prospects with a genuine effort to build an appropriate business – consumer relationship to keep clients and gain credibility.
    
5. The web is a major influence on us all – we are “net” “workers”
   For non-material services, the web and email has become the primary source for marketing, communication, and brand development.  Successful individuals and companies have embraced the web.