Why You Should Network and 5 Tips for Succeeding at It

Unlocking the intangible leverage to a better career 

• Networking is one of those professional investments that is usable through tough times in life. Be it getting a job or using a favour to get work done, networking is a resourceful activity that provides tangible benefits and just requires intangible gestures.
• Networking does not require you to have a list of things. You just need to interact and put yourself out there and be willing to help others.

• Apart from general networking tips, one should also capitalise on different set-ups and occasions like alumni dinners, organisations’ annual events and even on Zoom by expanding one’s network. 

In layman’s language, networking is exchanging information and ideas among people with a common profession or particular interest, usually in an informal social setting. Networking aims to establish and nurture long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with the people you meet. 

However, it’s one of those intangible assets that would stay with you through the rough patches in your career. When done well, networking will help you land a job faster and give you a competitive edge throughout every stage of your life. 

Why Network

Here are some obvious and implicit reasons why you should start nurturing your network straight away:

What It Takes to Network

1. Have an Elevator Pitch

An "elevator pitch" is a brief, persuasive speech that you use to spark interest in what your organisation does. While this may look uncomfortably salesman-y, it may become a skill that you could leverage over your competitors in this full-of-opportunities yet competitive world.

2. Differentiate Yourself

The key to differentiating yourself would be believing in yourself and honing your skills instead of whining over those you don’t have. Honing your current skill set doesn’t mean giving up the willingness to take up new things. It just implies the need to understand every one of us has our qualities and abilities. One should try and be the best version of oneself.

3. Be Helpful

Being mindful of others’ needs and going out of your way to help others impacts people’s minds. Helping others etches a positive picture of you, which could be a resource for you in situations where you might need others. 

4. Keep a Connecting Medium Handy (Visiting Card, LinkedIn Profile, Etc.)

After initiating conversations, people need to remember you are a connecting medium. A connecting medium is essential for the other person to contact you when the time comes. While the other tips lead the other person to think about you, this one actually gets the other person to contact you. Developing a powerful and effective Social Media profile or visiting card is therefore important.

Here are some quick tips for you to have a powerful LinkedIn profile:

• Picture - make sure you choose a simple headshot where you are looking straight ahead. It may even be worthwhile to get a professional photo taken.
• Headline - descriptive and compelling keywords make you look marketable and help you be discoverable to the right people. Make your headline practical, especially if you’re searching for a job.
• Experience - this is the area where you can showcase your experience, expertise and skills. You can also add places of previous employment, for how long and summarise your roles and functions. Including your current and at least two other positions is important.
• Skills - 3-5 is generally a good number. By and large, people want to deal with specialists. Listing too many skills may infer that you are a generalist rather than a specialist.
• Recommendations - the key to building up your reputation in the job marketplace. However, recommendations will not write themselves. You need to be proactive about asking for them, following up and keeping on top of it.

5. Follow-up

Making more contacts is vital for networking, but what’s more important is maintaining existing ones. Create stronger connections and deeper professional bonds with good following-up habits. An excellent way to follow up or keep in touch is celebrations. A thoughtful way to capitalise on festivities/birthdays and anniversaries is to wish them well on these occasions. 

Networking in Specific Environments

1. School/College

• Join clubs and societies
• Don’t let your adolescent angst deter you from initiating conversations with your peers
• Establish a permanent connection, say, through social media, with the peers and professors you relate to or the representatives you admire

2. Organisations

• Join organisations that support a cause of interest to help you meet like-minded people
• Volunteer to spend some of your free time there and contribute to the organisation regularly

• Engage in conversations with as many members as possible, including some with views that differ from yours; don't limit your interactions to the same people. (This is true in a wider context, too, of course)!

3. Family/Friends Gatherings

While it’s advisable to keep your professional and personal life separate, one should never forget that familial relationships make way for professional ones, and such family gatherings might provide networking opportunities!

4. Work Settings

Sometimes you’re working at your full potential, but your work isn’t recognised. There’s a problem there! 

• Make sure that your employer is satisfied with your work. It is their good word that forms a recommendation when you apply for a job
• Make sure to prove yourself at presentations
• Even when you're not confident enough, don’t hesitate to present your ideas

5. Official Gatherings

The best way to market something is by getting people to trust you and that trust comes with networking.

• Keep visiting cards handy to give out if you have one
• Exchange contacts or follow each other on social media
• Make sure to greet old contacts while trying to make newer ones

6. Online (e.g. Zoom)

• Create an impact by switching your front camera on
• Make good use of the personal chat feature in your online meetings. Use it to ask direct questions or chat directly with the person you wish to, without the other meeting members necessarily knowing

Networking can therefore become everyone’s cup of tea: yes, even the introverts out there can network! Just remember the leverage it offers. You should tell your conscience to keep in mind when interacting with people: elevator pitch, standing out, connecting medium. Following up is the key to powerful and long-lasting connections. One can also create an impact by tailoring networking skills to the environment, be it at the workplace, at relatives’ place or on Zoom. Don’t worry, you got this!

NETWORKING TIPS. COMPLETED. ✅

SOURCES 

1. https://www.hudson.sg/insights/article/effective-networking-tips
2. https://in.topresume.com/career-advice/importance-of-networking-for-career-success
3. https://www.kangan.edu.au/students/blog/linkedin-profile