Shah Ali Farhad : It’s quite common these days to be told that as a young person, one needs to be able to “network” as part of one’s essential skills’ set. This, in most, if not all, cases entails exchanging business cards and/or contact details, and at best taking a selfie or two with the person being “networked” with. If the person being “networked” with is someone important (as they usually would be), on a typical week, he/she would experience this set exercise scores of times. What this means in real terms is this, that person would find it difficult to remember your name/face even after seeing your business card or your contact details. This is why I dislike, even hate, the word “networking”. 

Let me suggest you an alternative from my now almost 15 years of experience in higher education, professional life, and politics. Build “relationships”. Don’t just exchange business cards and/or details, try to know a person. Like really know him/her. Have a proper conversation. Follow up. Keep in touch, not just when need arises, but generally. If networking is speed-dating, building relationships is like, well, building relationships. Quality as opposed to quantity. In the long run, even a few strong relationships in each phase/chapter of your life is more meaningful and effective than having a few hundred ‘connections’ via networking. From Facebook