Page 17 - BusinessWest July 11, 2022
P. 17

The Power of Networking
It Can Be Challenging, but It’s a Great Way to Take the Initiative
By Lauren Foley
After graduating college and enter-
ing the workforce there are endless opportunities and lessons to learn as a young woman in business. The expectations and opportunities of a first job are not always taught in the classroom.
While some of those expectations are directly related to skills and job functions, there are more
enable each other to grow.
Where are you networking, how do you do it,
and why? Are you looking to create a connection with a specific person who has influence in your field or community? Are you looking to make an introduction within a specific service that would be necessary to advance your career? Are you looking to find more ways to get more involved
als to feel empowered at networking event. It can sometimes feel easier to stick to the people you know at an event rather than to approach
a stranger and strike up a conversation. A great approach to avoid this issue, is to scope the room, remember your purpose and use the buddy system to approach new people. When using the buddy system, it allows both individu- als to have more confidence when starting to network because they can lean on each other while still being able to meet new people.
Remember, there are many ways to network, and some events might work better than others for you depending on your personality and your overall expectations. There are also events that will provide a more specific purpose of network- ing than others, so it is always important to note how the events went to determine if they are worth your time in the future.
It is great best practice to touch base inter- nally with whoever went to the event to get their feedback. Who did everyone meet? What did they enjoy at the event? Were there any impor- tant follow-up tasks post event? What was the overall outcome? Having a quick internal con- versation post event can increase the value your networking activities because you will remember who to follow up with, and as previously men- tioned, weigh whether you would like to attend again in the future.
Overall, networking as a young women can
be challenging but it is a great way to take the initiative to grow our own careers. It can help you advance your career faster while also improving your client service and relationship skills. While the benefits may not feel immediate in nature, networking is a terrific way to get your name out there, create learning points, and gain opportu- nities as a young professional. So, understand the value you could receive by meeting the right person, and start planning what is most impor- tant to you and your career. It is a skill that takes some time to learn, so practice makes perfect and get out there and grow your ‘Net.’ u
Lauren Foley is an associate at the Holyoke-based accounting firm, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.
 “The purpose of networking is to gain connections with other business individuals to create working and profes- sional relationships. Connections can provide many oppor- tunities for young professionals ranging from cliental refer- rals, job offers, event sponsorships, achievement recognition,
    and even learning opportunities.”
intangible ones that are expected of people
who enter the business world. Soft skills such as growing your outreach, building clientele, and developing relationships, are heavily valued and weighted in the career of business. As women in business, we want to empower ourselves to grow our careers and position ourselves for success.
It is imperative that we advocate for our career path and grow our worth in our chosen profes- sions. Well, how does a newly graduated woman enter the workforce and gain growth in these areas in their career? It is simple, networking.
Before jumping in, the first step is to under- stand the basic goal of networking. The pur- pose of networking is to gain connections with other business individuals to create working
and professional relationships. Connections can provide many opportunities for young profes- sionals ranging from cliental referrals, job offers, event sponsorships, achievement recognition, and even learning opportunities. The positive outcomes span even farther. By forming connec- tions with other people in similar positions, you create a new network of people who can provide resources to each other, and connections that
in your community and be of service? It is impor- tant to understand why you are attending each event you attend before you engage. Networking can take place in many different atmospheres such as attending a BBQ, going to an awards’ cer- emony, or attending a convention. Your choice
in events to attend should be in alignment with your purpose of networking. When looking for
a referral source, individuals should look for a working relationship. A working relationship refers to the idea that if the other person’s client needs a service you provide, then they would refer the client to you and vice versa. Those look- ing for a working relationship should attend a networking event that is sponsored or put on by a local organization where other business profes- sionals associated with the field will also attend — think maybe a trade show, chamber of com- merce, or specific public roundtables. If the pur- pose of networking is to find new clients, then attending a business event or local young profes- sionals’ event where others are just starting their career is the perfect place to create ground-level relationships that could lead to gaining clients.
It is especially important for new profession-
    Mill District
Continued from page 16
in her position. Before coming to North Amherst, she worked for a construction company as the proj- ect manager and was one of the few women on the payroll.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for me because traditionally coming from the building and lumber industry, I didn’t get that,” she said, referring to the opportunity to work with, learn from, and become inspired by other women. “Now I am, and it is truly a gift to interact with so many wonderful women in the Mill District. It’s been a wonderful past year to be in a position of leadership and to be able to influence the culture of the store and the women I work with.”
Alysia Bryant is starting her first business at The Mill District. Carefree Cakery is a bakery that focuses
on taking care of people. All the ingredients used are fair trade and all employees are paid a living wage. She started in the healthcare field before learning it wasn’t for her.
“I shifted my focus to ‘how can I use the skills that I have in order to help people?’” she said, “And that’s how I ended up here. I’ve always loved baking; I’ve always been good at making things, so I switched my major to business in college. I’ve truly built my life around this.”
While she enjoys working for herself and takes pride in her accomplishments, she acknowledged that it is “exhausting to be a woman in business.” Bry- ant just turned 28 and said she feels the need to prove herself to others when explaining she’s a business owner.
“The most difficult piece is getting people to
take you seriously,” she said. “Often when people approach me about my business, I start talking about numbers and research or all of the effort I’ve put in to make this a successful venture.”
Progress Report
Bryant’s story reflects those of all those women we spoke to at The Mill District.
Collectively, they speak of the desire to seek new challenges and to also find the strength and persever- ance to overcome adversity.
They also speak to how there is now strength in numbers at this destination — not just in the number of “bad-ass women” but also in the number of suc- cess stories they’re writing. u
BusinessWest
WOMEN IN BUSINESS
JULY 11, 2022 17
 






















































   15   16   17   18   19