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In this lesson, you’ll learn to build a spreadsheet to organize information about people in your professional network. A well-organized list of contacts is invaluable; it helps you remember your connections and quickly locate their contact information when needed. Spreadsheets consist of cells, which are rectangles where you enter data. These cells are arranged in rows and columns, with rows running horizontally and labeled with numbers, and columns running vertically, labeled with letters. Each cell has a unique reference based on its column and row, like cell A1 in column A, row 1. Navigating a spreadsheet is simple: click on different cells or use the arrow keys to move around. To edit a cell’s contents, simply click on it. Start by creating headings in your spreadsheet for better organization of your professional network. Begin with headings for first and last names, organization, and email address in columns A, B, C, and D respectively. These headings will help you track where your contacts work and their roles, as well as provide easy access to their email addresses.
Once your headings are in place, it’s time to brainstorm and add people you already know to your professional network. These could be family members, parents of friends, teachers, or previous employers. Focus on individuals in professions you’re interested in or who work at companies where you might like to apply for a job, internship, or volunteer position. For instance, you might know someone who owns a clothing company you’re curious about or someone working at a bank where you’d like to intern. Begin entering the contact information of at least three people in your network into your spreadsheet. If you don’t have all their details, you can leave those cells blank for now and update them later. After completing this step, you’ll be ready to search online for new professional contacts and continue expanding your network. Your next task is to add headings to your spreadsheet and input the contact information for at least three people in your professional network.