Anybody who wants to get ahead needs to network. My approach will not only help you to identify the right network but gives you tips and tricks to network even if you hate networking so far. The majority of jobs are landed through networking. This means that time invested in strategic networking is important at any stage of your career.

Let´s kick off a professional network

With a group of people that are closely connected for career or business-related topics. These professional contacts will exchange information which focuses on job leads or may also help one another solve work-related problems, inspirations and insights.

All starts in making connections with people who can benefit you in a business setting and then it continues with building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with those connections.

Anybody who wants to get ahead needs to network. 

Think about that statement. Chances are you’ve heard it before, but how much have you taken it to heart? If you’re not comfortable in social situations, you might have brushed this off a few times.  Perhaps you’ve told yourself your high quality of work alone will get you where you want to go. You feel you’re already meeting enough people on the job who have influence. Or maybe you’re just trusting fate to be in the right place at the right time. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way. There is no fairy godmother to wave a magic wand and make all your dreams come true. At some point, you’re going to have to network.

Here is why:

The importance of networking in the workplace

While hard work is a good thing and will look good on your annual performance review, it’s still no guarantee you’ll move up in a company.

This is usually because this kind of movement requires additional efforts. Even knowing what opportunities are available becomes a problem if you don’t know the right people or questions to ask. Having mentors or advisors to steer you in the right direction becomes crucial. Also, these are the individuals who will tell it like it is. They’ll give you an honest assessment of where you are in your job. They will tell you what skills you need to work on and help you to create a plan of attack to get you where you want to go. Where do you find these mentors? Through networking.

Networking helps you to deliver better results

At work as you can get advice. Let´s assume you have a new role or project in an area where you have not yet experience? Maybe one of your connections in the network may be able to offer advice directly or knows someone who can share some insights. You have access to fresh ideas. In the interaction you have access to new perspectives and ideas to help you in your role. Learning about challenges, experiences and goals is a key benefit of networking because it allows you to reach insights that otherwise would not have been available to you. Through networking you will gain more knowledge as you will exchange best practice knowledge, learn about the business techniques of your peers and stay ahead of future changes in your area. A network of educated and informed professionally results in direct access to new and value add information.
This opportunity to get insight into new information is one of the biggest benefits of networking, but certainly not the most obvious one, as mainly the focus is on career advancement and professional development.

Networking Allows You to Succeed Within Your Workplace

Networking with your coworkers has many advantages. For example, being connected to someone who’s been at the company for a while can give you an inside view of how things get done. They help you to learn who the players are, and who’s going to be the most valuable members of your team. Your coworkers also have inside information you might not discover otherwise. For example, they might give you a heads up on a new job that might be opening. If you’re planning a shift to a new area, having someone with an ear to the ground can give you valuable information that might not yet be advertised anywhere. Also, your connections can involve you on those pet projects you’re desperate to become part of or throw your name into the ring when someone asks them who they would recommend for a certain task.

Networking helps to find potential colleagues or employees.

If you are responsible for hiring, your network might have recommendation and insights into their contacs if someone is looking for a new job and can then put you in contact with this person.

The importance of networking while job searching

Wanting to make a career change? Networking will get you where you want to go. Having connections within a company you’ve wanted to work at can help you find out when a position is opening up – sometimes even before they’ve made the fact public. Also, if you’ve built strong relationships, you might even get a referral which will put your application on the top of the pile. Simply having a mentor who works in a field you’d like to break into, will help guide you on how to get there. They’ll even give you some advice on how to word your resume or application, making you an even more appealing prospect.

With networking you learn about a potential new employer

in this way you can prepare for job interviews as you hear a lot by talking and exchanging ideas with others.

The importance of networking for career development

When you are choosing a career, it is essential to gather information about the occupations you are considering. While there are resources to explore your options, one of the best ways to learn about a career is by conducting an informational interview with someone who is currently working in it. You can look to your network for help in getting people to interview.

Building strong business connections

Networking is about giving before taking. It is about forming trust and helping one another toward goals. Regularly engaging with your network and helping one another forms trust and builds a strong relationship. Following the law of reciprocity you will get help to achieve your goals when you need it.

Now, after all this, you’ve come to see why networking matters. It’s the means through which you affect change in your job situation. More than that, networking puts people into your life you need to do your job well and to get ahead. In short, Networking creates your team and sets you on the path to success. It’s pretty exciting, especially when you consider all the places you’d like to go someday. Ready to give it a try? Then it’s time to make a game plan - designed precisely for you!
Research states that most of open jobs are landed through a network. This means that time invested in strategic networking is important at any stage of your career.

Networking allows you access to opportunities you will not be able to find directly by yourself. Your network has the potential to provide you with insight into different fields, information on what potential employers look for and advice on how you can improve professionally. If you are willing to form and maintain the relationship, a single contact could get you into meetings or interviews with several companies without you having to work to form connections at each one.

Effective networking can save you time, effort and stress, so knowing how to use it effectively can be a powerful tool for your professional development.

And finally, in shaping your profile you will increase your confidence
By continually stepping outside your comfort zone, you will enhance your social skills and self-confidence. Learn to love networking, the more you network, the more you’ll love it. You will build the foundation of lasting connections.

Networking is part of my course SHOW UP!

Pin this graphic if you liked the post.

Get your free SHOW UP! LinkedIn checklist

Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates.

Related posts: