Although the notion of networking is nothing new, the basics of why it’s so important for your career are often forgotten.
Why networking is important for your success
When you invest time into networking, it can make you more successful in your current career development or enhance your job search. Whilst the immediate benefits may not be visible, networking will help you build strong relationships, increase your industry knowledge and skill set; in turn making you a well-established figure within your field.
Build and strengthen relationships
First and foremost, networking is all about sharing experience and knowledge by keeping in regular contact with those within your remit. Although it may seem common knowledge, we cannot underestimate how important it is to build rapport within a professional setting.
This can come in the form of referring contacts for roles, sending relevant articles or events to others in relation to their career interests, sharing mutual contacts and can even be as simple as connecting and engaging with content on LinkedIn.
However, the most powerful form of networking is face-to-face. There’s nothing like being in a room with like-minded individuals and discovering you’re not alone in facing certain experiences or challenges within your business. Those who’re willing to take time out of the office to learn something new have an element of wanting to “better themselves” more so than others.
In turn, you should receive equal assistance when you need help achieving your goals.
New knowledge
Networking also offers great opportunity to stay up to date with current trends and topics within your industry. If your network is wide and well-informed, you’re more likely to access new and valuable insights.
You can do this through making use of the vast variety of insights and articles that are shared within your network on LinkedIn and online. Events with expert speakers also offer opportunities to learn from the best in your field, both of which are offered through our own BTN site.
By having extensive access to pools of valuable information, it allows you to stay ahead of the competition in either your job search or going for that promotion in your current career.
Raised profile
Being a more active member in your field and getting noticed is a benefit of networking and is essential in career development.
Attending regular socials and events will help you become more recognised and enable others to put a face to a name. To make active contributions at these events, it’s important to listen carefully, follow up on conversations, remember names and offer any knowledge you have on certain topics.
It goes without saying that the more people you speak and network with, the more knowledgeable you will become in your field, consequently leading to career progression.
Summary
Building a strong network takes time, but eventually will provide you with new opportunities, whether that’s to develop in a current position or start a new venture.
Getting into the habit of regularly networking will improve your relationships, give you access to new industry information and raise your profile.
EiL
Our Excellence in Leadership 2-day conference in London is the perfect opportunity to put networking into action. The focus will be on business transformation with an emphasis on people & technology leadership as organisations look to deliver through uncertainty.
If you’d like to get involved in our next networking event, click here.
