My Kickstart Into Networking
July 21 2021, it’s 27 degrees by 10 am and there isn't a cloud in the sky, the evenings are getting lighter and my legs are getting darker. British summer, as temperamental as it may be, has finally arrived and despite the fact that the first month was consumed by Boris’s restrictions, this is the most progressive summer I have ever had.
Kickstarting my career in lockdown wasn't as easy as it may have been pre-covid. Getting to know your first work colleagues over Zoom and Slack can be quite daunting but my team welcomed me with open arms and before I knew it I was sitting watching the England Vs Scotland Euros match torn by who to support. Over the past few months my career has accelerated in more ways than I could have ever imagined. Alison and the team have taught me so much and I have already gained so much valuable knowledge and experience, but yesterday takes the cake.
Lockdown definitely took a toll on my ‘in office hours’ confidence, I didn’t feel worthy of the role I was in and so I didn't feel confident in my work (which I have since learned is called imposter syndrome). Because I had been working from home for the majority of 6 months and only being 19 years old, I didn't have much experience mixing with people outside of my team. This is why Alison decided to grab us both a ticket for networking cream tea.
Now, I was going in completely blind to this and had no idea what to expect - from what I wear, to what I say and everything in between - I genuinely had no clue. Walking out of my comfort zone and into the venue, Alison gave me a quick five minute briefing on networking where she explained to me the importance of open questions and off we went!
For the first half of the event I didn't dare move from Alison’s side and just observed the art of networking. It was three days post Freedom Day and I hadn't seen this many people in the same place for over 18 months. Prior to lockdown I was a complete people person so being thrown in the deep end triggered my natural social skills and networking became far less daunting than I had previously imagined - the cream tea certainly being a bonus!
By this point in the day, tea, coffee and conversation were all flowing freely. I was hearing many motivational stories from people starting their own businesses through the hardship of the pandemic, people recovering from furlough and people achieving success in large companies. Attending the event was a real confidence booster - I was told that my career trajectory was inspirational and also met a lady who was keen to connect me to her future apprentices, widening my network of peers for the future.
In a nutshell, networking has had a positive impact on my work-life and even my personal confidence. I have gained more experience and knowledge than I ever thought was possible from Afternoon Tea. I know that this is only the beginning of my career but I am already falling in love with what I do and I can't wait to progress and see what else working in a small business has to offer.
