Networking; what goes around, comes around?

As with everything, there are different experiences with the actual benefits of networking. Some say they definitely get as much out of their network as they put in, where others do not see any pay off for their efforts.

What is the difference? Being one of those people who put a lot of effort into networking, I would say the difference is due to a few factors.

Are you networking to serve a personal goal? When you are trying to achieve something and networking in order to gain access to expertise and advise, you are bound to get a lot out of your network. Just networking for the sake of hundreds of names on your database will not give you anything back (but may well be useful for your network with access to all those contacts).

Are you networking to connect others? A great way to share and quite often you will see instant results. However, equally often you will not see, or be given, feedback on the outcome of the connection. This may feel a bit raw, especially when you put yourself out and went the extra mile to help others. Here the satisfaction of networking lays in the actual introduction. As with everything in life, if it is gratitude you want, you are best of getting a dog!