Contributing and Adding Value: How Maintaining Networks Can Help Build Your Career
| Bristol UWE & Moon Exec Search |
Vanessa Moon, Founding Director of Moon Executive Search, in this clip, she expands on the relationship she has with UWE and her role on the Advisory Board of the Faculty of Business and Law at UWE, her love of the University and why this relationship is so important to her.
At Moon Executive Search, we have a very long-standing relationship with Bristol UWE and that is based on our shared values of continuous learning, helping others, and fostering community.
Vanessa firmly believes, that adding value in life is imperative. Sharing the skills and knowledge gained over years of work and study can add value, benefitting the whole of society. Vanessa comments:
‘There will always be demand for people that add value. Whether at a dinner party, a charitable cause, or a board room; the ability of an individual to contribute effort or ideas towards a shared vision will stand you in good stead to create connections and maintain and develop long term relationships.’
“Individual commitment to a group effort - is what makes a teamwork, a company work, a society work, a civilisation work.” Vince Lombardi
Vanessa’s Tips on Contribution:
1. Be clear what you offer: Highlight your key achievements (preferably with measurable statistics) and what you can offer a business, charity or community group.
2. Connect & Reconnect: I connect to everyone that I can: work colleagues past and present, people I meet at events, clients I have worked for, high profile customers and key contacts in Moon Exec search’s core sectors.
3. Join Groups:. Groups range from work and University / College alumni (especially UWE Alumni!), special interest groups or professional organisations.
4. Follow Companies: Keeping tabs on companies or organisations that interest you will help you understand their culture and ethos.
5. Follow Thought Leaders: There are individuals that are experts in their field called ‘Influencers’. They regularly provide high-quality content for their legions of followers. Find and connect with thought leaders and comment on their updates to enhance your profile and network..
6. Build your own audience: To build an audience yourself, share content from others and link to news stories or articles that you think your connections will enjoy. When you are more comfortable, start producing your own articles on a blog or personal website and then link them on your updates.
For Vanessa the students of 2020 are facing distinct challenges this year but this next generation of students will embrace the spirit of inquisitive learning and contributing to the university, perhaps in a different way to previous years. We believe that pressure creates diamonds, and the difficulties of today will drive the entrepreneurship, ideas, and initiatives to add value to the boardrooms of tomorrow.
