Being a social butterfly is not something that comes easily to most people. I would admit, most days I do not like talking to people. But as a professional, you have to get over that. If not, you will find yourself stuck in a position that you hate or in a career you wish you had never started. 

When I started my career, I was told to "put in my time first" before going after that big title. They were right, but they failed to mention putting in time off the clock too. It took me a few years to understand that concept, but now as I take on year five of my career and recent promotion to my eighth title, I have discovered a few insights about networking. First, to grow in your career you must learn to network like a pro, inside and outside of the office. Here are four networking secrets I would recommend to anyone who is ready to take their career to the next level.