06/10/2022
Active professional networking is vital to career growth. Many shudder when they hear the term networking, associating it with awkwardness, cheesy events and the idea of âsellingâ yourself.
However, despite its off-putting connotations, building networks is essential to forging long-term relationships and establishing a good professional reputation over time. It involves meeting and getting to know people who you can assist, and who can potentially help you in return.
Why industry networking is important.
Networking is an essential craft to master, no matter what industry you work in or your level of experience. Good industry networking has a basis of trust and support â and can mean the difference between a mediocre career and a phenomenal career.
With the right approach, people networking can provide the opportunity to build mutually beneficial relationships with other professionals in your industry. Once youâve established a solid professional network, youâll be the first to know about job opportunities in your field and front of mind for anyone in your network who is seeking to hire someone with your skills and experience.
Who should you include in your professional network?
Having the right contacts in your professional network can help maximise your career growth and learning opportunities. Consider building your industry network with people from the following groups:
1. Current and former colleagues
2. Classmates/study peers
3. Professors/teachers
4. Friends or family members in your industry
5. Members of relevant industry associations, sporting teams, social and interest-based groups or religious communities
6..Peers from digital professional networks such as LinkedIn
7. Recruiters who specialise in your field
*Examples of professional networking.*
Networking can include everything from an informal chat at a neighbourâs barbecue to attending a specialised industry networking event. In any case, the goal is to open the lines of communication and start building relationships that are relevant to your work and career.
Commons are;
1. Joining industry associations or clubs
2. Getting involved in networking events, expos, conferences or careers fairs
3. Connecting with and reaching out to relevant professionals on LinkedIn
4. Meeting recruiters
5. Keeping in touch with former colleagues
6. Getting to know current colleagues
7. Volunteering and participating in community events
8. Attending industry meet-ups
9. Joining virtual groups and communities
*The biggest benefits of industry networking*
Here are 12 reasons why you should consider building work-related networks
1. *Strengthen your network business connections*
Networking is about sharing, not taking. It is about forming trust and helping one another toward goals. Regularly engaging with your contacts and finding opportunities to assist them helps to strengthen the relationship. By doing this, you sow the seeds for reciprocal assistance when you need help to achieve your goals.
2. *Tap into your network for ideas*
Your network can be an excellent source of new perspectives and ideas to help you in your role. Exchanging information on challenges, experiences and goals is a key benefit of networking because it allows you to gain new insights that you may not have otherwise thought of.
Far from it being a nuisance, most people love being asked for help â itâs flattering and makes them feel useful. If youâre struggling with a decision, challenge or new direction, calling up a trusted former colleague, mentor, teacher or friend to organise a coffee can be beneficial to both of you, as they will in turn think of you when next they have a challenge.
Offering helpful ideas in return is an excellent way to build your reputation as an innovative thinker.
*3. Raise your* professional profile
Being visible and getting noticed is a benefit of networking thatâs essential in career building. Regularly attending professional and social events will help make your face known.
Create value for other attendees by listening carefully, following up on conversations, remembering names, and offering your knowledge and expertise.
You can then help to build your reputation as being a knowledgeable, reliable and supportive member of your profession by offering useful information or tips to people who need it.
Raising your profile within professional circles will also help you stand out to recruiters, who are always on the lookout for strong talent and who may be more likely to approach you with offers.
*4. Grow your personal brand*
Being visible and getting noticed is a benefit of networking thatâs essential in career building. Regularly attending professional and social events will help to get your face known. You can then help to build your reputation as being knowledgeable, reliable and supportive by offering useful information or tips to people who need it.
*5. Get access to job opportunities*
Expanding your contacts can open doors to new opportunities for business, career advancement, personal growth, or simply new knowledge. Actively building networks helps to keep you top of mind when opportunities such as job openings arise and increases your likelihood of receiving introductions to potentially relevant people or even a referral.
Donât forget that many jobs donât even get advertised â particularly as your career advances â so being a recognised part of networks is a key way to gain access to opportunities that you might not have otherwise.
*6. Exchange best practice knowledge with your network*
Networking is a great opportunity to learn about the business techniques of your peers and stay abreast of the latest industry developments. A wide network of informed, interconnected contacts means broader access to new and valuable information.
The opportunity to gather new information is an often-overlooked benefit of networking, as itâs not the most obvious one, but it also offers career progression and development.
Itâs a good idea to actively ask your contacts about developments and techniques, but also to keep an eye on what kinds of articles your contacts are sharing on LinkedIn â donât forget to comment to let them know that youâve appreciated the piece. And donât discount the insights of people from other industries â they may be able to offer new angles you hadnât previously considered.
*7. Get career advice and support*
Gaining the advice of experienced peers is an important benefit of work-related networks. Discussing common challenges and opportunities opens the door to valuable suggestions and guidance. Offering genuine assistance to your contacts also sets a strong foundation for receiving support in return when you need it.
*8. Build your confidence*
By continually putting yourself out there and meeting new people, youâre effectively stepping outside your comfort zone and building invaluable social skills and self-confidence that you can take with you anywhere. The more you network, the more youâll grow and learn how to make lasting connections.
*9. Gain a different perspective*
Itâs easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of your professional realm and end up in a rut. By people networking, you can gain insights that only come from viewing a situation with fresh eyes. Asking for opinions from contacts you trust or admire can help you see things in a new light and overcome roadblocks that you might not have known how to circumvent otherwise.
*10. Develop long-lasting personal relationships*
Of course, the point of networking is to develop and nurture professional relationships, but some of the strongest and most long-standing friendships are borne from work connections. Your networking contacts are probably like-minded people with similar goals as your own, so itâs not unlikely that your professional support network will spill over into your personal friendships.
*11. Get an answer to every question*
As long as you have a strong network of professional connections, you can be confident that someone within your sphere will be able to answer even your toughest questions. And, if thereâs no definitive answer, youâll have a solid sounding board to bounce ideas off and put into action step-by-step plans to tackle bigger problems.
*12. Find your dream job*
Professional networking opens many doors in the form of career advice, lasting relationships and even landing your dream role. You never know who might be hiring for your ideal job, or know someone who is, and the more people you have in your network, the likelier you are to be the first to know when those big job opportunities pop up.
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