Growing one’s professional network can open up new career and job opportunities for workers and expand employers’ talent pool. Even so, many people struggle to grow their professional network due to a lack of knowledge. Fortunately, there are many ways a person can grow their professional network quickly and efficiently when they understand the various techniques available to them. This being the case, here are four easy methods for growing a professional network that anyone can use.
Networking Online
LinkedIn is a social media platform for professionals and actively encourages its users to expand their network. Even though LinkedIn is powerful, other platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, can still be helpful if used correctly. Other online methods of growing one’s professional network include posting a blog, creating videos, and reaching out to businesses directly via email.
Attending Networking Events
One of the most straightforward ways to grow a professional network is to attend networking events in real life. At these events, people introduce themselves to others and share contact information if they are interested in networking with one another. It is important to bring scannable or physical business cards to these events to make sharing information fast and easy.
Leveraging Personal Connections
One great way to grow a professional network that many forget about is leveraging one’s connections. Friends, family, former classmates, and coworkers all have valuable connections and can help a person contact potential employers, contractors, investors, or employees. Anyone interested in growing their professional network should be exploring these connections to their fullest.
Professional Organizations
Another often overlooked method for growing one’s professional network is joining professional organizations. These organizations can help people from the same industry to connect. This can lead to a variety of opportunities for employment, investment, and hiring. It should also be mentioned that getting in touch with professional organizations outside one’s primary industry can also open up doors and create opportunities.
Being Ready to Seize Opportunities
Networking opportunities can come when one least expects them. This makes it important for people looking to expand their professional network to always be ready to approach others and speak with them when the time is right. It is also important to have easily sharable contact information on hand when these opportunities present themselves. The more proactive a person is about growing their professional network, the more successful they will be at doing so.
Growing your professional network is a marathon not a sprint. With constantly putting in the effort at a pace you are comfortable , you’ll soon have list of contacts that can help you start your journey in the work field!