Yahoo!

Come Back to Work and Build Your Network!

Last summer, Marissa Mayer garnered huge press attention when she took over the CEO reins at Yahoo!. Her eye-popping compensation package of $71 million over 5 years (she could earn much more due to various stock grants) caused envy everywhere. That she planned to redirect a major U.S. corporation while simultaneously starting a new family caused lots of us to just say, "Wow!"

An internal memorandum released this past weekend may attract even more eyes . . . especially among young people thinking about starting their careers in sunny, Palo Alto. As re-posted all over the web, Mayer has decided to put the kabosh on working from home.  

Mayer reportedly wrote:

"To become an absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side. That is why it is critical that we are all present in our offices. Some of the best decisions and insights come from hallway and cafeteria discussions, meeting new people, and impromptu team meetings. Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home. We need to be one Yahoo! and that starts with being physically together."

It'll be interesting to see how this plays with today's newest professionals, including the estimated one-third of millennials who reportedly would rather have a flexible work environment and access to social media than a bigger paycheck.

What’s my bet? In my experience, young professionals understand the value of face-to-face collaboration. They know this is critical to professional networking. Their biggest challenge is finding time to engage in person while remaining connected electronically.

If they have to choose, will interns, summer associates and new hires talk or tweet? The statistics may surprise you. One report indicates that 38% of 18-29 year olds indicate they spent less time on Facebook in 2012, and they plan to continue their withdrawal this year.

It seems to be proof positive than in an increasingly high tech world, new professionals understand the importance of high touch communication.

What Do You Need to Know?

Use everyday opportunities to connect with others at work as an important means to build your network.
 

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Always Follow Up

After a networking event, transform new contacts into valued members of your network by following up.

Holiday Networking

Use the holiday season to build your professional networks.

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