Why and how to network across your ecosystem

Ongoing networking is a vital ingredient for career success that offers so many benefits. Even in the workplace, it should be a practice we continually engage in, not only when we are thinking of our next career move or actively looking to connect with somebody specifically. The truth is that adopting a mindset that is interested in building authentic relationships with others increases your resourcefulness and thus value in your organisation. It's a lesson that isn't explicitly taught in classrooms and I often find that people undervalue how much of a role it plays in the next opportunity and progressing through the ranks. The thought of networking can often be met with an eye roll or a knot in the stomach but what if we viewed networking as an exciting journey into the unknown. As I always say, everything you need is a conversation away! 

I want to inspire you to intentionally spend more time building relationships across your ecosystem. Your ecosystem refers to people working in different industries that are connected to the one you work in. For instance, if you work in investment banking, people within your ecosystem could include those working in asset managers, law firms, professional services firms and rating agencies etc... 

When starting out in industry, there isn't much emphasis placed on networking beyond your firm or industry. If you are from a more privileged background, chances are you already have a broad network in place. For instance, if your dad is an MD within IBD, his colleagues, clients and friends will be a great addition to your professional network when starting out and as you progress through the ranks. 

Actively investing time to build strong broad relationships will allow you to become a visibly valuable person in your field. Adopting this mindset has the following benefits: 

1) Makes you resourceful - building strong relationships within your ecosystem will make it easier (and faster) to retrieve information / intelligence. When you know a lot of people that will have different perspectives and expertise, it can make for brilliant decision making. I've found this particularly helpful in my career where many of the relationships have been so valuable in gaining additional insights or accessing information in my various roles which allows me to add value to my immediate team. 

2) Increases your visibility - when you build new relationships broadly and become intentional about being a person of value, the by-product of this is increased visibility. Your name starts popping up when people need advice or information about your subject area. Visibility can lead to more opportunities.

3) Positions you to win business (later in your career) - your ability to rise to leadership positions within client facing roles will be linked to the relationships you bring to your firm. Imagine if you start investing in broad peer relationships early on in your career, these relationships will serve you well over time especially as you grow and progress together in your respective industries. 

As an incoming intern or analyst, what practical action can you take to network broadly across your ecosystem? 

1) Proactively connect with peers who are in your industry and peers in connected industries. LinkedIn is a great place to find such people. Try searching "incoming summer analyst / incoming summer intern / future trainee" and just begin to reach out. Arrange virtual coffee chats and get to know people on a human level. Moving beyond your industry can also help in developing your broader understanding of your firm and its role within your ecosystem. If you are a member of a diversity organisation (e.g. SEO London, upReach, #100BlackInterns, Rare Recruitment, Bright Network to name a few), you should take an interest in members on other industry programmes and seek to network with them. Such organisations should also be very intentional about giving their members the opportunity to engage in more cross industry networking as well as help them to understand why such relationships are so critical to long term career success. 

2) Join professional industry groups - Industry wide groups offer networking and career development opportunities to their members who tend to be people working in different firms across the same industry. Investing your time in these relationships and engaging in their activities will be extremely valuable to your development and again make you more resourceful to your firm. If you have a mentor or know people who are more experienced in the industry, ask if they know of any industry networks worth signing up to. 

3) Leverage the LinkedIn alumni tool - if you have included your education history and your school has a formal page, you will be able to see alumni and connecting with them can be a great way to further increase your professional network more broadly. I find requests to connect with alumni from my secondary school often gets met with strong engaagement which is possibly due to the nostalgia effect. 

Questions for you:

• How would you rate yourself in the area of building strong networks across your ecosystem?
• Could you consider taking more of an interest in people beyond your team or firm?
• Could you invest 30mins a week in relationships that expand your professional network?(In this virtual environment, it's much easier for people to take 30 minutes out of their day to network by jumping on a video call compared to a physical meeting so be sure to take advantage!)

Remember valuable networks in your ecosystem can play a crucial role in opportunities and career progression.