Introducing a data professional haunted house. Walk the halls with me and experience the horror that is doing data labor. Today’s room is “networking” with emphasis on the quotes.
Networking is about socializing. It’s about getting to know a person who is an industry/sector/job peer. The value is you then have someone you can ask for help, who can support you, or can attend events/conferences with.
I do a lot of networking! I go to events designed for gaining/fostering career social connections across industries, conferences, and upskilling trainings. I publish all over - chapters, blogs, op-eds, journal articles - and field comments and questions from that. I also use social media and make a point to comment on posts.
I’ve noticed a bizarre uptick in my peers this year thinking that networking is career counseling (e.g. resume help, info on grad schools, where to find work). It is not. My experience this year is dozens of peers derailing our informal first time meeting with career advice questions with no regard for actually making a connection.
There is no mutual benefit in meeting a stranger and asking for paid labor for free. I do not offer career counseling services. Here are all the ways you can get access to me and my lore:
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Hire me for my freelance data services. I help manage IT systems, databases, websites, and media. See my portfolio: https://www.decolfutures.com/services.
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Follow me on LinkedIn, BlueSky, or Instagram. I frequently post about what I’m working on, events I’ll be at, or cool things I saw in the world. This is free. My time is not.
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Subscribe to my newsletter (https://decolfutures.beehiiv.com/subscribe). I share tips, tricks, training opportunities, and lore about myself 1-2 times a month.
Stay tuned for the next issue of spring fever.