4 Suggestions For Expanding Your Professional Network
Every professional, from the entry-level contributor to the executive-level VP, may benefit from developing a wide network of connections.
People in your professional network may not only help you progress in your career but can also introduce you to other job possibilities and hobbies. If you want to make the most of your network, here are four suggestions to help you expand your relationships in a manner that allows you to grow as a leader.
1. Define Your Network
To create a strong network, you must first comprehend its present condition.
Consider your connections, as well as the individuals you know and rely on in your work life. To begin, follow these steps:
- Make a list of all of your contacts.
- Scroll through your LinkedIn contacts to refresh your memory on who’s who.
- Take a look around your workplace. You’d be shocked how often you find yourself saying, “I forget those individuals assisted me with that deadline.” “I should contact them.”
- Examine your resume. No, really. Take a minute to reflect on where you’ve been in your professional life, from college to graduate school to your first job. Who were the most important individuals in your life at each level of your career?
2. Analyse Your Network
Once you’ve identified the individuals who have professionally aided you, you may divide your network into three categories:
- Strategic Network: Who helps you keep on top of industry developments and prepare strategically? Put those people in a bucket.
- Operational Network: Who do you rely on to assist you to get the job done? Who are the individuals in other departments, or even outside your business, on whom you depend despite the fact that they do not work for you? Those people are part of your operating network.
- Developmental Network: Who has aided your professional development? Who is there to provide a sympathetic ear and act as a sounding board when difficulty arises? Those individuals are a part of your development network.
3. Investigate Your Network
You took the time to consider the important players in each area. Now assess:
- Which networks are the most powerful?
- Which networks need expansion?
- Are any important connections missing?
It’s time to go to work after this analysis.
4. Develop Relationships
The secret sauce is that great leaders really care about people and show genuine interest in getting to know the person, not the link.
The business has grown more personal and interconnected in the digital era. Consider the following from a global standpoint:
- Social and professional networks account for 58% of all recruiting.
- 49% of hiring managers are looking for new methods to discover passive applicants.
- 37% of staffing professionals are interested in developing communities or a talent pipeline.
Relationships and community are a common theme throughout these statistics, so take advantage of yours. But how do you go about doing that?
The solution is to conduct informational interviews. Though this is often used as a job-seeking technique, it may also be used to cultivate relationships.
Bring your questions with you. You may think about asking:
- What projects are you currently working on that interest you?
- How did you get your start in this field?
- How would you sum up your work experience?
To expand your network, the aim should be to create connections based on real interest and respect, rather than a problem that has to be solved. This is an important habit that will require regular follow-up, even if it’s as simple as a short email or an office check-in.
Small moments, invites, and follow-ups are the keys to developing connections, and they are the people in your network. Get out there and begin to develop.
