As a young professional, building a personal portfolio of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) is important to sell yourself for a promotion or for a new position elsewhere. Young and inexperienced Gen Y’s have to quickly build those KSA’s or risk being stuck in a rut. How else can we leverage our expertise in social networking and web tools?

Building Networks is More Than Just LinkedIN

Building an online network is easy. Just point, click, and wait. But with Twitter, Facebook status updates, posts, pictures, applications, it just seems to be a shouting match. Eventually, it’s questionably spam.

As we go from one job to another job, we bring more and more experience and proprietary knowledge. We learn company methodologies, techniques, and materials. While I don’t condone “stealing” confidential information and jumping ship to share company secrets, your thought process is inspired by the newfound knowledge. Furthermore, during your tenure at a company, build relationships, both with your internal staff and with external clients as well. Foster those relationships, even if you go work somewhere else.

With this “black book” of contacts, you will be much more valuable to the new firm. It provides business relationships and possible new clients. Alternatively, those contacts can be resources for you to tap into for subject matter knowledge.

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