Developing stronger relationships with your current or former customers, employers or clients can lead to growth opportunities and possible future employment opportunities.
Throughout my life, I’ve been blessed with relationships with people that have lasted a lifetime. In 1997 I met people who to this day I still have working relationships with, although we work at different companies. One of my colleagues at college was visiting Disney in 1997 when we first met. Many of his students were down on the Walt Disney World College Program and he was there to meet some of the managers who were managing his students.
After speaking for a bit, we developed a dialogue that has lasted several years. When I mentioned that I wanted to get into teaching someday, he was the first person I thought of to get in touch with. Armed with my resume and with my training with Disney, Gap, and Apple, I interviewed with a colleague of his for my first job as an adjunct instructor. This led to a full-time position a year later.
Sometimes we get caught up in right now vs. letting a relationship grow; what keeps relationships strong with people like this is the contact we have with them that is beyond just the times when we need something.
