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I was excited to attend the networking session last year at the PASS Summit. Andy Warren and I had talked about it quite a bit and tried to promote it as a way to build your brand and perhaps get a better job. We were concerned that networking is a leap of faith, and you invest in it, without possibly getting a return. I think you can, and it will pay off in strange ways. It might be help with a new job. It might be someone that you help, or it might be just a feeling of comfort the next time you see someone at an event.

The networking seminar at the PASS Summit is back, with Don Gabor, and you can read more about it. I spent my own money on it last year, learned a few things, and enjoyed it. Am I using the techniques? Have they helped?

I’m not sure. I know that I think about some things I learned, like the technique for remembering people’s names, and there are times I’m at a SQL Saturday, or maybe a dinner party, and I use them. I think about touching my network a little more often, and I do look at ways to interact with people more, stopping to spend a few more minutes chatting with them, or getting contact information.

It hasn’t directly benefitted me, but I think it might at some point. I have some closer relationships in my network because I make a little more effort to touch base with them, share something or strengthen the bonds we have. On one hand it commits me slightly more at events to talk to people, but on the other, it means I have a few more friends that I can count on.

I had been hearing about Lil’ Buck and so when I finally caught up with Buck Woody (Blog | Twitter) at TechEd, he told me to wait a minute. Unwrapped, from a separate box in his bag, in bubble wrap, out came Lil’ Buck

Apparently Marketing at Microsoft had him made as a mini-Buck Woody. Kind of cool, and Buck posted a bunch of pictures from lots of people that had the privilege of holding him.

I wonder if Red Gate would do that for me……?

I gave the Modern Resume: Building Your Brand presentation last week at the SQL Saturday #22 – Pensacola event and had about 30-40 people come see it. I got some good responses, but there was one interesting thing that came up.

I have talked about how it helps to prove value to your manager when you attend training or a conference. You tie back something you learned/used to your job. You specifically show your boss where something matters.

I’d say that you ought to do the same thing for your brand. When you learn something at an event, from a book, from a blog, make a note of it. Give the person/event credit that helped you, and give your interpretation. Do that enough, and all of a sudden you look like a real go-getter that is worth hiring.

I saw a post from Seth Phelabaum on SQLServerCentral reviewing his goals as of Q2. About 20 days premature, but it’s a good reminder that you ought to review your goals periodically. Take a few minutes today to see where you are and if you can make some progress towards getting halfway through by the end of the month.

I know I have some work to do. Definitely need to spend some time over the next two weeks on a couple things.