Maintaining Personal Connections

I work in an industry that is almost entirely reliant on personal connections.

And, given that I am tormented by the same anxiety as every other twenty-something in an uncertain post-graduate environment, I constantly ask myself: if everyone is keeping the same professional and pseudo-social calendar that I am, how can I be sure that people remember going to Starbucks with me, when they also were meeting with other twenty-somethings in the West Village for drinks on Thursday and have a mixer on the following Monday?

Of course, I’d like to think my sparkling personality and wit endear me to my colleagues, but if I need a little help (and, let’s be honest, who doesn’t need a little extra help here and there?) sending physical thank you notes is my go-to. And it’s not just thank yous, it’s thinking of yous, and happy holidays, and congratulations. It’s showing people that they are just as present in your mind as you want to be in theirs.

So hop over to your favorite stationery store, buy three or four sets of notecards that are undeniably you (pretty pictures and funny sayings, for me) and start writing. Because everyone wants to feel special sometimes, and connecting personally with colleagues and mentors can help build a supportive foundation of career-advice givers and problem solvers to help you advance in your industry.

Ashley Collom is a Texan 20-something who now resides in NYC. She works in book publishing, lives with her pet tortoise Maxwell House, and has a soft spot for craft beers and pint-sized ice cream. You can follow her on Twitter @ashohley and contact her for freelance writing assistance at http://ashleyscollom.wix.com/freelance.