Networking – for most of us it may not be the first thing that comes in our mind when we think about skills that are needed for a longevity in career. It can be hard to deal with , time-consuming, and after a long workweek, much less appealing than the couch.
However, networking is an essential part of advancing your career. It is often quoted by experts , “You will likely get a job through who you know rather than through your education or work experience.” These days, it’s not enough to keep your head down and produce A-plus work.
It is something beyond connecting with your friends , colleagues , supervisors or ex- colleagues( for that matter ) in linkedin or other social platform. You need to connect with others, be vocal about your interests and career goals, and build relationships with people you might not otherwise have met. It is certainly one fail-proof way to impact your career for the long-term — develop and maintain a vast network of contacts.
The benefits of a strong network are seemingly endless, just to name a few :
- Counselling : Whether you are a Fresher or someone who is a veteran executive , guidance is something which should always be in abundance. You may be considering a job switch or a promotion is in your way, you always have someone to discuss the pros and the cons.
- Exposure to right set of circumstances : A vast, well-maintained professional network will likely be ripe with opportunity. While you may not be actively looking to change positions, it’s likely your network will regularly pass along insight into a variety of career opportunities. This means you’re getting the first look at a position before anyone else.
- Support. You’re likely to be faced with a variety of trials and tribulations throughout your career journey. A strong support system will help you manage your challenges and celebrations more effectively.
- Discovery : You can gain keen business insight through forum conversations on social platforms, while others may learn innovative tips from a chance meeting with an industry contact at a seminar.
- Resources : Your network is likely to be exploding with information with regard to every aspect of career success and challenge.
You may have to walk in a room full of people , you have no idea about and be absolutely confident and calm. With little planning, all awkwardness can be kept at bay :
- Set a goal : Networking should always be done with an intention, and not just to collect business cards and be seen. Approach networking as you approach your work: find a networking opportunity that meets that goal.
- Have an icebreaker. It can be tough to walk up to a stranger and start conversation, no matter how confident you are. But having a line ready to go in order to generate conversation is crucial.
- Be open about your career goals. Had I not felt comfortable in speaking about my intention in attending the corporate networking event, it’s likely I never would have built upon my network of women leaders. Oftentimes, we don’t want to come off as pushy or disingenuous, so we tiptoe around our goals in networking. But I encourage you to speak up about your goals.
- Follow up. If you have a great conversation with someone at a networking event and exchange contact information, send him or her a note and remark on your interaction. Mention something specific you enjoyed about speaking with the person. If you offered to connect him or her with someone else, follow through. Networking isn’t over when you walk out of the event!
It’s never too late to begin building a vast network of beneficial relationships.