Think of networking as flossing: you need good tools and you need to set aside time to do it on a regular basis. Probably one of your least favorite activities, but without it, you're inviting cavities.
The cavities in consideration here: gaps in your ability to land a new income source if the current one unravels. And we never know (given at will agreements with organizations) when that will happen.
Networking when you're burnt out at your current assignment, or when you've lost an assignment, is usually the most painful. Akin to a root canal.
However, networking on a regular basis keeps your healthy connections with others alive so that when you do need them you're already all good to go.
You may want to have your own business cards done (in addition to company cards if you have those too.) Certainly, get your LinkedIn and resume souped up and ready to go. It's amazing in the digital age, that people still enjoy the nice paper for resumes when you hand them in during interviews. Stop by a stationery store and get some good paper. Touch up your "portfolio." It's always good to have show and tell work content when you meet with prospective employers. Get your I9 documentation current--you might need to renew your license or passport so you can verify identity and right to work in the US for a new employer. You certainly want to gather in one place your start and end dates of employment--a one sheet document with that information is essential for online and paper applications. Go ahead and add current names of supervisors, phone numbers, physical and email addresses. Take a moment to catch up with past employers and check for most up to date contact information. Trust me, when you are in the whirl of interviews and offers, you'll want to have that information handy.
Networking keeps you up to date on competitors in your industry. Chances are, if you're currently in a job you love, that it's easy to just focus on the work at hand day to day. Take time to look at the other organizations you love and what news items are hot with them. It'll help you stay on your toes about the work you're doing for your current organization. Try to identify the folks who are doing similar work at those companies and maybe set up a brainstorm chat with them to learn how they are handling key performance indicators at their shop.
Final thought for today: check up on events going on with industry organizations in your field. These events often have a speaker or two who may share something helpful as you tackle a thorny work issue, and as a bonus, you can meet other people working on similar challenges who can inspire, teach or challenge you. If your company gives reimbursement for seminars, classes, even virtual ones, try to schedule yourself to take one in the next month or so.
Keep your career choppers flossed and ready to chomp. Your career is yours to maintain and keep healthy.
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