Networking

[Krikit 1,163]

Networking starts with hobbies.

SO true. I remember being very sad when I first moved here. I took the advice of some of the VJ'ers and followed my interests by joining a wine club. Holy cow. Talk about meeting the movers and the shakers in the community. It's unbelievable. And I've made some really great friends too! SO worth it.

OH also agree with the mainland/island thing. I lived in Nanaimo for about most of my childhood/teenager-hood. I lived in Vancouver for a couple of summers on break from Uni in Montreal and I used to ride my bike from downtown Vancouver to Horseshoe bay ferry terminal.

Wow, iggy. You must have been in some shape!

But - the one thing that I think, that trumps all - is the local Chamber of Commerce. They have activities throughout the month. Get their calendar, go to all. If you are hesitant to actually GO, then become new friends with the Secretary - he/she will know all about business networking in that community - in my mind, that's a universal thing, if there's a ChamCommerce, there's that ONE person who knows all - so it's up to you to befriend him/her, suck that brain for knowledge acquisition, and go forth.

Chamber of Commerce is an excellent place to network!

This would explain why I am so damn sweet, right????

[lgg 2]

Dear Krikit... .

I AM sweet! As my friends. Oh wait, don't ask them!!!! Just take my word for it.

and re: the horseshoe bay cycling summer, I was in shape as well as a touch insane. Looking back on that now, it was HARD! I doubt I could do it now.

[DeadPoolX 9]

I've never understood the whole "networking" idea. If you have no one to network with (like me), how are you supposed to do it? I can't go up to random strangers on the street and start a conversation. I imagine they'd look at me like I'm insane. I know I would if someone did that to me.

This problem goes beyond work as well. My wife and I have no friends here and the only people we know are her family. That's great and all, but they have their own lives and are on Vancouver Island. That's a good hour-and-a-half ferry ride, if not more. That doesn't include the LONG drive from where we are to Horseshoe Bay. BC Ferries can be expensive, too.

We're not particularly anti-social (although we're not the most extroverted people), but it's really difficult to get to know people. Again, what are we supposed to do, strike up a conversation with someone on the street we don't know?

Part of the problem may relate to our work. My wife works at home and as of right now, I have no work at all. Add up our financial situation and rarely go out (not that there are a whole lot of entertaining venues where we live).

So I have to ask: how do you network when there's no opportunity to do so?

I feel ya, DeadPoolX. My husband and I are introverts too but I'm working on that. :-) Here's what I do:

1) join clubs (i.e. Toastmasters. I belong to two clubs)

2) join meetup.com - It's a great site for people to get together for a variety of reasons

3) join Facebook

4) join a sports club (i.e. dragonboat teams)

Plant the seeds now, let some time pass and soon friendships will blossom. :-)

I'm already on Facebook (although that seems fairly useless unless I want to post videos, make inane comments and play games like Mafia Wars), but MeetUp.com and Toastmasters sound interesting. I'm going to give those a shot!

[Revenesque 2]

Dear Krikit... .

I AM sweet! As my friends. Oh wait, don't ask them!!!! Just take my word for it.

and re: the horseshoe bay cycling summer, I was in shape as well as a touch insane. Looking back on that now, it was HARD! I doubt I could do it now.

Chuckling @ Igg. I used to run marathons, lift weights and dragonboat. Now I can't even walk up a little hill without being out of breath!

I've never understood the whole "networking" idea. If you have no one to network with (like me), how are you supposed to do it? I can't go up to random strangers on the street and start a conversation. I imagine they'd look at me like I'm insane. I know I would if someone did that to me.

This problem goes beyond work as well. My wife and I have no friends here and the only people we know are her family. That's great and all, but they have their own lives and are on Vancouver Island. That's a good hour-and-a-half ferry ride, if not more. That doesn't include the LONG drive from where we are to Horseshoe Bay. BC Ferries can be expensive, too.

We're not particularly anti-social (although we're not the most extroverted people), but it's really difficult to get to know people. Again, what are we supposed to do, strike up a conversation with someone on the street we don't know?

Part of the problem may relate to our work. My wife works at home and as of right now, I have no work at all. Add up our financial situation and rarely go out (not that there are a whole lot of entertaining venues where we live).

So I have to ask: how do you network when there's no opportunity to do so?

I feel ya, DeadPoolX. My husband and I are introverts too but I'm working on that. :-) Here's what I do:

1) join clubs (i.e. Toastmasters. I belong to two clubs)

2) join meetup.com - It's a great site for people to get together for a variety of reasons

3) join Facebook

4) join a sports club (i.e. dragonboat teams)

Plant the seeds now, let some time pass and soon friendships will blossom. :-)

I'm already on Facebook (although that seems fairly useless unless I want to post videos, make inane comments and play games like Mafia Wars), but MeetUp.com and Toastmasters sound interesting. I'm going to give those a shot!

Are you in the Vancouver area? You're more than welcome to join my two clubs. I'll show ya around. :-)

[Krikit 1,163]

Are you in the Vancouver area? You're more than welcome to join my two clubs. I'll show ya around. :-)

Whoot! Networking in action!

[Revenesque 2]

I've never understood the whole "networking" idea. If you have no one to network with (like me), how are you supposed to do it? I can't go up to random strangers on the street and start a conversation. I imagine they'd look at me like I'm insane. I know I would if someone did that to me.

This problem goes beyond work as well. My wife and I have no friends here and the only people we know are her family. That's great and all, but they have their own lives and are on Vancouver Island. That's a good hour-and-a-half ferry ride, if not more. That doesn't include the LONG drive from where we are to Horseshoe Bay. BC Ferries can be expensive, too.

We're not particularly anti-social (although we're not the most extroverted people), but it's really difficult to get to know people. Again, what are we supposed to do, strike up a conversation with someone on the street we don't know?

Part of the problem may relate to our work. My wife works at home and as of right now, I have no work at all. Add up our financial situation and rarely go out (not that there are a whole lot of entertaining venues where we live).

So I have to ask: how do you network when there's no opportunity to do so?

I feel ya, DeadPoolX. My husband and I are introverts too but I'm working on that. :-) Here's what I do:

1) join clubs (i.e. Toastmasters. I belong to two clubs)

2) join meetup.com - It's a great site for people to get together for a variety of reasons

3) join Facebook

4) join a sports club (i.e. dragonboat teams)

Plant the seeds now, let some time pass and soon friendships will blossom. :-)

I'm already on Facebook (although that seems fairly useless unless I want to post videos, make inane comments and play games like Mafia Wars), but MeetUp.com and Toastmasters sound interesting. I'm going to give those a shot!

re: Facebook, I'm finding it pretty useless too, lol. I sanitized it (took of photos, interests information, etc) because I've just applied for a job to a company whose few employees are my FB friends. You can never be too careful, lol.

Are you in the Vancouver area? You're more than welcome to join my two clubs. I'll show ya around. :-)

Whoot! Networking in action!

I know, right? :-)

[lgg 2]

If I may chime in here...

Wouldn't it, uh, make sense if all of is immigrants and such here on this site networked? I mean, Wyatt and I are going to be neighbors, perhaps we could help each other get jobs at the chocolate shop and such.

Ya know? just sayin'....

[Malrothien 6]

I'm gonna have lots of buddies - Krikit, Arabella, Sam and Ben..

[bradcanuck 1]

I love chocolate.

[Sprailenes 47]

Get a sandwich board and show some leg. Networking at it's finest.

[Krikit 1,163]

I'm gonna have lots of buddies - Krikit, Arabella, Sam and Ben..

I love chocolate.

That's too funny. I love chocolate too!

Get a sandwich board and show some leg. Networking at it's finest.

I like sandwiches!

[Sam and Ben 2]

I'm gonna have lots of buddies - Krikit, Arabella, Sam and Ben..

Bi-weekly meetings to commence!

Caffeine and chocolate provided on a rotational basis.

In all honesty, though, this is definitely something I'm worried about too. I'm hoping to be lucky on the job front - with a few strings I hope to be able to pull. But if that falls through, I don't even know where to begin. And friends... that'll be a difficult one too. When your hubby-to-be sticks to his man cave or hits a bar with buddies, I don't see many opportunities to pounce on.

I do think there's a library semi-nearby... so I thought to see if there was perhaps an opportunity to volunteer a bit each week. If nothing else, to get me out of the house until I can actually work.

Volunteering is a-okay while awaiting the EAD, right?

Edited December 2, 2009 by Sam and Ben

[Darnell 8,478]

Volunteering is a-okay while awaiting the EAD, right?

Absolutely !!! This is wednesday !! New Week !! get the @#$$@# out of the house and go !!

[Malrothien 6]

Yep, it is, Sam. Since we'll be living quite close to each other, I can help you out. I have so much family in Orlando that it's ridiculous.

[Sam and Ben 2]

Volunteering is a-okay while awaiting the EAD, right?

Absolutely !!! This is wednesday !! New Week !! get the @#$$@# out of the house and go !!

Hehe, gotta move first. Then I'll get a-crackin'.

Yep, it is, Sam. Since we'll be living quite close to each other, I can help you out. I have so much family in Orlando that it's ridiculous.

It'll certainly be nice to have friends nearby. When are you back down there?