What do you do if your professional network is lacking?

One of the key areas to pay attention to when assessing gaps is your personal aptitude and orientation to networking. It can be done by anyone, but it does not come naturally to everyone. If the gap is a personal lack of interest and motivation, a great way to overcome it is to network with a friend or colleague and to center networking around things you truly love and enjoy. If you need goods ideas to activate your interest, an important area to assess is where and how you network. Where do the industries and leaders gather with whom you want to connect and build your network? Do you have a gap in networking points of entry. Identify industry gatherings, professional associations, or other community events that you can join or attend.

If you engage online work to find professional communities where you will be motivated to contribute and respond to the contributions of others. The activity level matters if you want to create deeper connections.

While it's common to approach mentorship with a focus on what the mentee can gain, emphasizing the reciprocal value can enhance this interaction significantly. A simple yet profound insight is to highlight that mentorship is not a one-way street. Mentors gain from the relationship too, through opportunities for reflection, learning from the fresh perspectives of their mentees, and the satisfaction of contributing to someone else's growth. This acknowledgment encourages a more balanced, respectful, and enriching connection. By focusing on mutual growth, the mentorship dynamic becomes more appealing and sustainable, fostering deeper and more meaningful professional relationships.

While you never want to recreate the wheel, sometimes you need to start the network! It is important to make sure you aren’t missing a network that already exists for the same reason. If one does not exist in your area of interest, it is a clear sign to see if others are interested.