Communications of the ACM
Face-to-Face Networking Still Trumps Social Networking
Credit: Michaela Rehle / Reuters
Placing too much of a focus on social networking and not enough on face-to-face networking can have a negative impact on your career trajectory. According to a new report, 39% of Americans now spend more time socializing online than they do in person. In addition, nearly 20% prefer communication via text or the Internet over talking face-to-face or on the phone. As a result, we may have more connections, but the relationships are shallower. This is problematic in terms of one's career, because it's the people who know you the best and trust you the most who can wind up helping you the most. No matter how well the latest digital tools allow us to stay in touch, face-to-face meetings and strong relationships are still very important in the workplace.
An important first step in breaking away from the virtual world and starting to network in the real world is to focus on being seen and heard in the office. When people see you in person, they know you're working and get a better sense of who you are, your emotional intelligence, and your leadership ability. Sometimes it's difficult for managers to get a sense of these things if they don't regularly see the people they are managing. So if you haven't met with your manager in a while, make an excuse to visit. Second, get away from technology so you're less socially awkward. Spending more time on technology-related tasks, and less time exposed to other people, has somewhat expected results: Over time, one's face-to-face communication skills can become weaker and weaker. It will be harder to hold a conversation and appear confident in social situations with colleagues and clients, and your awkwardness will hurt your chances of advancing in the workplace.
From Time
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