TheGlasshammer.com recently published an article I wrote on the value of networking titled, It Takes Seven Seconds to Make a Good Impression. I think women have an abundant list of excuses for not actively networking. We must get over it. A strong network provides a group of people who have your best interests at heart, will give you their best advice and open their personal networks to you. The value in growing a strong network is most valuable when looking for a new job or opportunity within your organization. Your network can give you leads, help you understand the salary ranges and tips on successful salary negotiations. They are invaluable in their support when you are hesitant about accepting a new role that you feel maybe too challenging. They are there for you just like you are there for them.
A series of experiments by Princeton psychologists Janine Willis and Alexander Todorov conducted more than a decade ago, and published in the July 2006 issue of Psychological Science, resulted in some very interesting conclusions. They revealed “that all it takes is a tenth of a second to form an impression of a stranger from their face.” The authors went on to state that longer exposures don’t change that first impression. As a former pit trader where I only had an instant to make a decision to either buy or sell options the fact that all it takes is a tenth of a second to form an impression resonated. I made decisions all day long on the spot.
