Whether you’re a job seeker, a recent grad, or an experienced professional, networking and building professional relationships is a critical skill for career advancement and personal growth. Knowing how to effectively connect with others opens the door to new opportunities, and can help you achieve career goals and hit targets.
Here are seven tips to help you build a strong network and maintain your professional relationships.
1. Start with a plan
Before getting ahead of yourself, you need to make a solid plan. Start with what your goals are with networking and what you would like to achieve. Do you want to transition to a new role? Are you looking to upskill? Are you going for a promotion and need some mentorship? Just looking to expand your horizons? Once you know what the overarching goal is, you can then identify the key people and groups you want to connect with to make that happen.
Use this information to then research events, online forums, and groups that are relevant to your career and goals. A clear plan will help you focus your efforts and make the most out of your networking activities.
2. Use social media to your advantage
Social media networks are extremely beneficial for networking. LinkedIn in particular is a very powerful tool as it allows you to share work experience, skills, and anything else related to your professional development. Start by adding a professional photo and filling out all of your basic profile information.
Based on this, you’ll receive recommendations on who to connect with, pages to follow, and groups to join based on your experience and interests. Try to engage with people and content that are most relevant to you by commenting and sharing regularly. This will help you stay visible and connected with those that are relevant.
3. Go to networking events
Networking events are another great way to do exactly what you’d expect: network! Going to industry events, seminars, and local meetups is a great way to meet new people in your industry. When preparing for these events, think about ways to introduce yourself and your interests to strike up conversations.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to people and exchange contact information with others. Remember, everyone at these events is there to meet new people so make sure you make the most of it.
4. Stay in touch with new connections
If you’ve connected with a few people who would bring value to your network, don’t forget to keep in touch! This could be as simple as a text message or connecting on a social network. If you spoke about anything particularly insightful or significant, keep the conversation going online!.
Staying in touch will show your new connection that you are invested in building a long-term relationship.
5. Provide value to your connections
If you are networking with others to help you learn or reach a certain goal, chances are they are doing the same thing! You could offer value for them in a number of ways, such as introducing them to someone else in your network or sharing a relevant article or blog on your social networks.
Relationships work both ways, so you should try to provide your network with as much value as you’d like to get back. This will help you to build goodwill and demonstrate your willingness to support others in their professional endeavours.
6. Join professional associations
Another great way to expand your network is by joining industry associations. These organisations provide a variety of networking opportunities, professional development resources, and industry insights.
Associations can be found by researching online or on social networks, you can often find relevant ones on LinkedIn in your recommendations. Depending on the industry you work in, your workplace may recommend associations for you to join that are specific to your field.
7. Take advantage of alumni networks
If you have studied at a university, chances are you are a part of their alumni network. Many schools have alumni associations that host events and provide networking opportunities. Going to these events can help you to meet with new people, as well as reconnect with old friends you studied with.
Reconnecting with your university also can provide the opportunity to connect with current students and provide them with insights for their future careers.
Get help with networking
The most important thing to remember is to stay persistent! Stay consistent in your networking efforts, ensuring that you follow up and stay in touch with the people you meet so that your efforts are not in vain.
If you are still having trouble, many resources and organisations provide services to help you in your professional development. For example, suppose you are living with a disability, injury or health condition. In that case, organisations like APM Employment Services can help through Disability Employment Services (DES). DES providers can provide support to you when planning your next steps and introduce you to the right people.
Remember, great meaningful working relationships don’t happen overnight, they take time. Be persistent with your networking efforts, and don’t lose hope – some of your most valuable professional relationships might be just around the corner.
Guest writer.
