Take a Stance

"The essential point of networking is human contact. Business has killed networking by making it something for the career oriented person." (Jools, 2008) DISCUSS.

The statement is true when it opens and makes it clear the essential point of networking is human contact, i.e. it is simply human to human, person to person contact. Joe Bloggs is capable of conversing, it wouldn't necessarily have to be even face to face. Joe could network by the phone, or in a written form: emails, forums - all human to human contact, and so all a form of networking. From this he'd gain knowledge, incite and also some useful contacts.

However, the statement continues saying business has killed networking by making it something for the career oriented person. If we were to invert the statement to business has taken networking away from everyday people, ordinary and average Joe Bloggs, able to read, write and talk to people, is no longer allowed, because he isn't 'career oriented', i.e. he doesn't have certain letters/qualifications to his name, or a certain company on his C.V to prove his worth.

To join a network and share in the positives, you need a presence in business, or at least a foot in the door. That foot in the door you would normally get by having some experience. And to gain experience you need to firstly network, and use 'contacts' - here ensues the viscious circle. So to say that networking is now for the elite and experienced only would be true. Concurrently this would also mean I agree with what the statement states.

Importantly, I can see a loophole through. Being a University student has strong likenesses with being 'career oriented'. You may not yet have the experience or qualifications, but are going through three years of extra education, learning new skills, strengthening your preexisting skills, acquiring the know how and awareness to launch yourself into the pathway of your industry. All this takes effort and endevour and that to me thereby shows you as being career oriented.

Fortunately, 'everyone' nowadays has a right to education... according to Tony Blair and the Labour Government, with their key focus of 'Education, education, education'.

So it seems there is some hope for 'average guy' Joe Bloggs, after all.