In hindsight, what I found to be most challenging when networking as a student was my lack of direction.
I didn’t have an idea of who I was or what I wanted out of networking.
It wasn’t until after I began my career as an attorney did I begin to develop my personal mission statement.
A personal mission statement is a summary of your values and goals. It could be a few sentences or a few paragraphs. It can be a list of words or a highly detailed summation. Your mission statement has to work for you. It may be in a constant state of revision, but once you have an idea of your mission, you will find that networking becomes a bit more easier. You are no longer just looking for a job, but pursuing a career that coincides with your long-term goals and values.
Developing a mission statement is no easy task. Here are just a few sites that I have used to develop my own mission statement:
Think Simple Now
http://thinksimplenow.com/happiness/life-on-purpose-15-questions-to-discover-your-personal-mission/
Quintessential Careers
http://www.quintcareers.com/creating_personal_mission_statements.html
Leadership Development Institute
http://literacy.kent.edu/Oasis/Leadership/mission.htm
