How can you build a professional network outside of your company?

It's good to identify why you need to build a network. A first step is to correctly asses your current network. remember, it's not just about the number of people but also the quality of your relationships.

Being clear about the 'why' is critical. When I worked in a tech company, the 'why' was to build a peer-network of similar roles across Silicon Valley to help us drive impact beyond our orgs. When I worked at the World Bank the 'why' was to stay in touch with the outside world and keep track of innovation that happened outside the Bank. Now that I run an innovation network the 'why' is to seen new members, showcase current members' innovations and and support the overall narrative around climate tech innovation.

Building a professional network is a long-term process that requires consistency, transparency and trust. Most of my network contacts are characterized as life-long friendships. There needs to have giving besides just taking to establish a solid network. Attending conferences are not enough. One needs to present at those conferences as well. Helping a contact by introducing him/her to another contact goes a long way.

Building a professional network outside of your company involves a multi-faceted approach. Firstly, attending industry conferences, seminars, and workshops is an excellent way to meet peers and leaders in your field. Joining professional organizations or clubs related to your industry can also provide networking opportunities and access to resources. Engaging in online professional platforms like LinkedIn allows for virtual networking, where you can connect with professionals worldwide, participate in discussions, and share insights. Volunteering for industry-related events or projects can also help you meet like-minded individuals.

Building a robust professional network beyond my company is vital for career growth. I optimize my LinkedIn profile, connect at conferences, and engage in online platforms. Informational interviews, workshops, and mentorship foster learning and collaboration. Leveraging alumni networks, volunteering, and publishing content establish my thought leadership. Social gatherings, business cards, and cross-functional collaboration enhance networking. Consistent follow-up and genuine engagement contribute to nurturing meaningful professional relationships outside my immediate work environment.

Construir una red profesional fuera de tu empresa implica el uso de LinkedIn pero debes ir más allá. Comienza agregando a personas que conoces en eventos, enviándoles mensajes directos, comentando publicaciones y revisando sus perfiles. Ofrece cafés virtuales o presenciales, para mantener el contacto y compartir ideas. Asistir a eventos PRESENCIALES de tu industria o de networking, participar en clubes o grupos de whatsapp relacionados son maneras efectivas de expandir tu red. Además, crear y compartir contenido en LinkedIn sobre tus intereses y áreas de experiencia te ayudará a atraer y conectar con profesionales fuera de tu empresa que comparten tus mismas pasiones.

Las presencialidad es más efectiva para crear relaciones profesionales más solidas, genera una mejor percepción y aumenta tus posibilidades de generar encuentros genuinos con gente nueva! Es clave en esas breves conversaciones que tienes en estos eventos, tener claro tu pitch que haces y que buscas, para generar un buen networking.

A constru??o de um networking poderoso demanda tempo e energia. é um trabalho constante que envolve estar presente e gerar valor para as outras pessoas. Atualmente o LinkedIn é a principal ferramenta para networking, na minha opini?o. Em segundo lugar, o aplicativo de calendário, onde utilizo para lembrar as datas e marcos importantes (por exemplo, aniversários), juntamente com as anota??es relevantes sobre coisas ou fatos que me ajudam a conectar com a minha rede de networking.

Adam Grant, professor at Wharton and author of "Give and Take" has found, the people who give more than they take go farther and experience more success. You should be able to grow your network in a way that will make people excited to help you when you ask for it. Personal Tip ?? - When you expand your network outside your industry, get in contact with people that have problems statements that you already saw during your career & life to provide support and collaboration to add value to your new network for they see value to have you as a connection.

You need to give before you ask. You need to provide value to people before asking something of them. This will help you in building great relationships based on win-win outcomes.

Remember IDEO ways of working or even the famous Steve Jobs creativity and innovation inside Apple that a diverse team and network provides more diverse ideas and correlation analysis between different backgrounds to disrupt and innovate in way that you never imagined, as we are used to be close to similar industries and backgrounds that we have. Once more, join different groups on social media or brainstorming sessions to get in touch with different projects and technologies to be open for new ideas and contribute with your own to collaborate with the group. A more diverse network will promote personal and professional growth to discuss and collaborate new experiences and new insights.

Olá, o mundo naturalmente nos envolve em redes humanas. Vamos lembrar que a rede somente existe quando há fluxo interativo. Compreender a ciência das redes e as aplica??es de ARS é um exercício muito positivo para o autodesenvolvimento, ainda mais no acelerado contexto atual :)

It's not just the number but also the quality of relationships. The issues is that quality is harder to assess. One metric that you can use is how often do you interact with the people in your network. You can then break them down in categories: from weekly, monthly to even early. The more interactions you have, the stronger the relationship may be and the bigger the ask you can make.