What Is Networking? How to Grow Your Network

I’m always on the lookout for articles about networking. Here are a few snippets:

In career development, networking is the process of building relationships with other people working in and around your field or industry. Unlike mentorship and sponsorship, these connections are typically mutually beneficial, with each person sharing resources, expertise, and information with the other, and tend to be more informal. Your network is essentially your set of professionally aligned friendships.

Discover the benefits of networking, some examples of what networking can look like, and tips on building your professional network.

Why is networking important?

Networking is important to open new career opportunities and connect with like-minded individuals. Some commonly cited benefits of networking include:

• Explore interests with like-minded individuals
• Socialise with new people
• Learn about new job opportunities
• Receive job referrals

Examples of professional networking

With the right people, you can turn any social experience into a networking opportunity. You can try a range of networking approaches depending on your preferences and comfort levels. Some forms of networking include:

• Attending group networking events
• Attending an industry-related conference
• Joining an online community
• Participating in online forums
• Meeting a new contact for coffee
• Reaching out to a potential contact via email or on a social networking site
• Asking a friend to introduce you to their contact
• Staying in touch with a former coworker

Tips for successful networking

Networking is primarily a social experience, and socialising is generally meant to be fun. If you enjoy participating in and learning about your field, you can likely find a networking approach that fits your preferences.

In fact, your most fruitful connections may be those you enjoy engaging with since you’ll be more inclined to participate in those relationships actively. To create the best networking environment for you, start by pursuing the types of social settings where you feel most comfortable.

1. Get clear on your goals.

Before you embark on your networking journey, think about what you’d like to accomplish through networking. From there, determine the types of people who will best align with your short and long-term goals, and consider what you might be able to offer them in return. With this type of clarity, you can better focus your efforts on building relationships that will more likely yield your desired outcomes.

Remember that, sometimes, your goal can be as simple as showing up. Particularly if you’re new to networking, honing the ability to show up is crucial to success. Some other networking goals may be:

• Making new friends who work in your field
• Learning about other people’s preferred processes and tools
• Exploring a new or adjacent career path
• Finding a new role
• Gaining a position at a specific company
• Advancing your career

2. Think about who you already know.

Engaging with people you already know can be an easy way to start or expand your networking efforts. You won’t have to worry about initiating the first contact, and you’ll likely already have some common topics ready to discuss.

Some people you might consider networking with include:

• Friends
• Former or current classmates
• Former or current coworkers
• Past managers
• Fellow club members
• Volunteer organisation colleagues

3. Consider open networks.

You can find several open networks where people with similar interests can congregate to discuss industry-related topics, ask questions, and meet people. As you work toward expanding your network, research the types of open spaces where people in your field tend to come together.

When it comes to open networks, you’ll be able to find broadly defined spaces—such as young professionals networks or websites like LinkedIn—as well as niche groups—such as industry-specific forums, Slack communities, or meet-ups. To find the type of groups that fit your needs, ask your current contacts about networks they’ve joined, reach out to any alumni groups you belong to, do an online search, or follow industry leaders on social media.

4. Actively engage.

Just as crucial as showing up to that first meeting, it’s important to keep showing up. Building mutually beneficial relationships requires time and effort; it may also require persistence and disappointment.

Actively engage with your network and the network you’re building. Practice your interpersonal skills, and learn how to reach out to recruiters on LinkedIn and write a letter of introduction.

You may feel some discomfort as you pursue these new relationships and try new outreach methods. Start by showing up in ways that feel natural to you. Over time, you may feel more prepared to expand your social boundaries and grow toward new types of relationship-building.

Want to know more? Head on over to the full article here for more ideas and perspectives. Afterwards, why not drop me an email to share your thoughts at [email protected] ; or call me on 0467 749 378.

Thanks,

Robert