Building a professional network is important for your career, regardless of your industry or career goals. A well-built network will provide you with support, advice, mentorship, and recommendations as well as fulfilling interpersonal relationships that you can carry with you throughout your career. Additionally, the ability to connect and communicate with others is critical in all aspects of your life, both professionally and personally. Regardless of where you are in your career, building and nurturing these relationships is critical to personal and professional growth. That being said, here are some of our top tips for building your network.
1. Make a List of Current Connections
You don’t have to build your network from scratch – try tapping into connections you already have! These could be coworkers from past jobs, friends from high school, or other parents at your children’s schools. The Harvard Business Review refers to these as “dormant ties,” and states that because these connections have been built on a foundation of trust, they are more likely to provide you with advice and resources.
2. Build a Personal Brand
It is important to start these conversations with a good understanding of who you are, what value you bring to the table, and what you are looking for. Confidently pitching yourself can significantly influence others’ perceptions of you and their willingness to support your career endeavors. Building a personal brand image that reflects your personality and experiences can allow you to flow through these conversations with ease rather than anxiety. This article from Forbes goes over the “10 Golden Rules of Personal Branding” for your reference.
3. Do Your Research
Before you meet with someone, familiarize yourself with their background work, company, and experiences. Coming to these conversations prepared with research will allow you to ask more personalized questions and have more meaningful conversations. Additionally, showing your research demonstrates your genuine interest in the person’s work, company, or position.
4. Keep in Touch
Building a professional network is not a one-and-done thing. To create meaningful relationships within your network, it’s crucial to follow up on conversations and fulfill any promises made. Given the busy nature of those you may meet for such conversations, sending a follow-up email or connecting on LinkedIn ensures they remember you and your discussion. Jean Evans, a professional networking architect, goes over her follow-up process in this article.
5. Build an Online Presence
LinkedIn is one of the most useful tools in building a professional network. LinkedIn is the “world’s largest professional network on the internet,” and it serves as the primary platform for connecting with colleagues and peers. Building a strong LinkedIn profile is an effective way of expanding your presence, because not only does it allow a pretty easy way of following up with your network through connections, but it can also provide you with access to different job applications based on your experiences and interests. Check out this other article from our blog to learn how to get started on a great LinkedIn profile.
If you are interested in learning more about networking or other things you can do to help you grow as a professional, visit our Career Development Center or browse the rest of our blog for some more helpful tips and tricks.
