Learning about Relationships at Arrive @ 5

 In Blog

My youngest daughter is now a full-fledged career woman.

Molly, 22, graduated from Plymouth State University in May with a degree in early childhood education, and she is working at Smith College’s Sunnyside Child Care, at least for the summer months.

Molly has her sights set on travel, though, so she is looking into international au pair programs as well as job opportunities on the west coast.

She recently learned the value of networking by attending a Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce Arrive @ 5 with me; she brought her best friend, another recent college graduate, Alison Winkler, along with her.

The event was at Godard’s Red Hen Farm/Mineral Hills Winery in Northampton, and so the girls were especially pleased to join me. In the first minute, they met a friend of Ali’s sister Raina. It turns out Jaime Allen, who was there representing Adquest Digital Marketing, recently completed a stint as an au pair. She provided Molly with a resource for a program abroad, and now Molly has one more organization to research and query.

Ali, who went to school for graphic design, also came away having made a connection with a new business owner who needs a logo.

Poof. I say that’s why they call it net-working—because it works. (Yes, and also because it is work in and of itself.)

I’m always telling my interns about the importance of relationships. I talk to them about treating everyone they meet with respect, and I highly recommend they find ways to stay in touch with colleagues, professors and supervisors.

Your ability to get a first job, a job that’s a step up or to grow a business is all found in the quality of your relationships and the grace and integrity you bring to them.

And those relationships often begin at a networking event. Take the time yourself to attend an Arrive @ 5-type event in Northampton or in your own community. I’m sure you will make at least one good connection and find it was good to get out and net-work.

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