Business Networking has been described as 'a socioeconomic activity by which groups of like-minded people recognise, create, or act upon business opportunities. A business network is a type of social network whose reason for existing is business activity'. So as a networking rookie I was filled with trepidation when directed that I was to attend a major military networking event deep in the City of London. A working class, Labour lad, I felt out of place at the thought of the meeting taking place in the Liberal Club in London for starters. Having been a senior middle manager within the forces and a Sergeant Major I thought I could hold my own?
My daughter, forever the philosopher, had told me whilst we were conversing over her options at school and which direction she should follow at such a tender age, that one of her teachers had once said that if you don't know where you are going then any road will do as you don't know which one to follow. Equally if you don't know where you are then you don't know which road to take. I should have sent my 14 year old to the meeting in the city.
Undeterred I knew I was in the advantageous position of having employment and had the experience of going through the transition from military to civilian life. The company picked up all my travelling expenses and soon I was booking in with a gentleman who thought he was still in the military!! Uncomfortable to start but still, I felt, with the upper hand.
This superb opportunity for soldiers to network (for me) had unfortunately and probably unknowingly became an officers drinking club where young bucks were after nothing less than six figure salaries, good luck I thought, reality check was my next thought. But one year at Sandhurst and a tour of Afghanistan along with your degree that you have never used unfortunately counts for very little remember there are no Sappers, Corporals, Sergeant Majors, Lieutenant or Colonels out here in the big bad world.
If there is any moral to this blog it would be that Networking is very important and a powerful resettlement tool but you need to find out whether you are networking with the right people? Successful networking is all about building relationships with the right people. A good place to start when selecting a networking group is to find one where the other members have similar goals, aims and intentions as you.