Guest post by Justin Goldsborough, who specializes in digital strategy and education at Fleishman-Hillard Kansas City.

Recently, I had the privilege of speaking to a group of communications and journalism students at the University of Missouri. Toward the end of the panel, one of the students asked the following:

“What’s the most important question you’ll ask anyone you work with or interview for a job these days?”

I knew my answer right away. In fact, the way I remember it, I kind of blurted it out:

“What kind of network are you bringing to the table?”

See, for me it’s all about people. The people you’ve worked with, the people you know. If I hire you, I’m getting you. But who else am I getting? That’s what sets you apart in my book.

At BlogWorld last month, opening keynote speaker Scott Stratten called himself a relationship officer, noting: “People do business with people they like, know, and trust. That’s why relationships are so important.”

How does this play out on in an everyday scenario? Well, here are a few: (more…)