Friday, December 6, 2013

Being a reference: What’s in it for me ?

Hey, I told you these would be some random items I saved up over time. Here's actually a reference (pun not intended) to a PureSystems blog post by Debbie Black (Senior Marketing Manager for IBM PureSystems). But I think it's valid for System z as well. It talks about the concerns of becoming a client reference like
  • Do I need to get approval from our PR or external communications department?
  • Our company has a policy against endorsing any vendor.
  • Will I overstep my personal boundaries within my company?
  • I’m not sure I’m ready to be a reference.
But I think the last question is the most important one
  • What’s in it for me?
Well, more than you would think. How about
  • Growth of your personal network
  • Expanding your skills and knowledge base
  • Influence inside your organization
You can find more detail on this in the blog post itself. And I would add one more which I even find more valuable
  • Respect inside and outside of you organization
So next time, you're asked to become a reference : think twice !


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