Networking Success Story: Stephen Bailey

Stephen Bailey is finishing up his senior year of high school and will be attending Syracuse University in the fall. Stephen and I recently got in touch via Facebook and we soon found out we were going to be writing for the same site. Boston Sports Then and Now.

Here is Stephen’s success story (how networking helped him).

Last summer, I interned in the Sports Publicity department at Yale University. I discovered the position through a classmate who had worked there the year earlier. Although this may not be the networking most think of (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), it is just as valuable. Expanding your personal web of connections is something an industry professional never stops doing.

This April, I started BBSB (Baileys Boston Sports Blog) as a hobby.  Towards the end of the month, I decided to send one of my articles to the person who runs Celtics Life, a very popular Celtics blog. He told me he liked what he saw and gave me his contact information. After a quick chat, it was a done deal. Simple as that.

A couple weeks ago, I sent one of my recent Red Sox articles to Joe Gill, head of Boston Sports Then and Now after he posted up a comment on LinkedIn that he was looking for bloggers. Again, he told me he was impressed and took me aboard. Now I have hundreds, or even thousands of people reading my articles, as opposed to the handful I would have had on my site. The exposure will surely help me become a better writer and opens up opportunities for me in the future.

The point is, all it takes is a couple clicks. Be outgoing, friendly, and confident. Make connections, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.

Do you have a networking success story? How did social networking or networking events contribute to your career? If you have some, leave them in the comments section or send me an email (you can find that in the contact me section).

Want to do some networking?

Connect with me on LinkedIn: Dan Sullivan

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