Building a professional network is essential to pursuing career success. After all, doors of opportunity can open if you’ve developed meaningful connections with the right people. Let’s say you’re looking for a full-time job hiring Makati residents. With a professional network, you might be able to learn about lucrative employment opportunities that aren’t disclosed to other job seekers. This information can help you get ahead of the competition. Moreover, your connections can also link you to other professionals who can assist you in preparing for the new post, offer insider information about the companies you’re eyeing, or provide strong referrals that can boost your chances of getting hired.
Truly, the benefits of networking are immense. However, as with other worthy pursuits, building great networks doesn’t happen overnight. It requires time, effort, and commitment. You need to be intentional in your approach and patient when planting the seeds. To help you grow your professional network, here are several strategies you may want to consider:
Participate in Networking Events
Networking events, such as conferences, career fairs, trade shows, and alumni functions, offer remarkable opportunities to meet great contacts who can help you grow professionally. As such, you may want to start searching for noteworthy events aligned with your goals and find out how you can join them. For instance, if you want to connect with industry leaders, you can attend seminars or conferences specific to your field for a chance to hear their lectures and mingle with them afterward. To help you get the most out of these networking functions, consider the following tips:
- Know your purpose. Make sure to identify your goals for attending the event beforehand. That way, you can plan your time and activities accordingly. If your primary purpose is to meet people, you can come early and join breakout groups and icebreaker sessions to converse and exchange cards with as many participants as possible.
- Practice your elevator pitch. To save time and ensure a pleasing first impression, you should learn to introduce yourself, communicate your message, and connect with someone in under a minute. Practice your elevator pitch ahead of time so you can deliver it naturally and confidently when the opportunity arises.
- Learn to listen. Making a connection is a give-and-take process. Even if you have a lot of things to say, try to avoid dominating the conversation. Instead, learn to listen and show genuine interest in the other person to help them warm up to you and make future interactions more likely.
Do Volunteer Work
Aside from its mental health and society-enriching advantages, volunteering is an effective way to meet individuals from various professions and grow your career network in ways you never thought possible. Who knows? Maybe you’ll meet a company CEO or an organization leader who can connect you to countless opportunities for professional advancement.
Because you’ll work side-by-side with like-minded individuals toward the same goal, volunteering can even help you forge better and more meaningful relationships that you may not otherwise experience with traditional networking events. That means you can have a group of people who know your values and character and will most likely recommend you to their own networks.
Ask Your Circle to Facilitate Connections
You may not realize it, but your family and friends are excellent networking resources. While many of them may not own businesses or hold high positions in prominent companies, they probably know people from church, parent-teacher association (PTA) meetings, and community events who can enrich your career. So, take advantage of this terrific opportunity by asking your relatives and friends to introduce you to these people.
Nurture Your Connections
Would you be inclined to assist someone who only reaches out when they need something? Probably not. That’s why it’s vital to cherish and nurture your professional connections consistently instead of merely viewing them as a one-and-done deal. Here are some ways to help you develop and maintain a good relationship with the people on your contact list:
- Stay in touch. Make it a habit to connect with your network regularly. Perhaps you can send short messages to your contacts during special occasions through email or call them up to ask how they’re doing from time to time. You can also use social media platforms to keep track of what’s going on in their lives so you can readily respond to noteworthy happenings like a job promotion.
- Be willing to help. When people in your network ask for a favor, try your best to help them out. That way, they’ll be more open and willing to reciprocate the kind gesture when you need it.
- Organize meet-ups. Invite your contacts for coffee or lunch every once in a while to reconnect and strengthen your bond. You can share ideas or exchange opinions about the latest trends in your field to make the short encounter even more valuable.
If you haven’t been actively growing your network before, try the strategies above to create and maintain relationships with professional contacts who can help your career journey. Keep these tips in mind and continue searching for opportunities to meet new people and grow your contact list. Be patient, considerate, and authentic. Learn to give as much as you receive. Remember, creating meaningful and long-lasting relationships requires engagement, nurturing, and mutual support.
