Human contact is super important and so is communicating and keeping abreast of the growing trends in the creative space and community. Networking is integral to the success of connecting with people in your area of interest. Meeting people and gaining some perspective from other newbie designers as well as professionals could be the catalyst that propels you into a successful career. Thank God for technology networking can still take place in the midst of a COVID pandemic virtually.
Virtual networking can never replace in-person tactile connection. Moving around with smiling curious humans emit palpable energy that cannot be expressed or felt in a virtual setting. Exchange of thoughts and ideas face to face embellished with eye contact, hearty handshakes and pearly white flashy smiles do good to the human spirit and cement lasting relationships.
Virtual networking still gives the ability to connect but it leaves room for a lot of disingenuous scammers to try to take hold of your information and use it to their advantage. You have to be very careful where and with whom you try to connect and share information. The workforce is a hot mess at the moment so networking is basically done to make and keep connections for future purposes.
From my personal experience, the people I have networked with have bare little or no fruit, however, I will keep the contacts and connections and hopefully, after COVID is resolved I will be able to successfully gain some professional traction. COVID-19 has sucked the life out of networking as most people are focused on staying and keeping their loved ones healthy. I am very hopeful that things are going to change for the better.
