Importance of Networking in Your Career
“Your network is your net worth”. -Porter Gale
The above quote rightly summarizes the importance of networking in one’s career. Networking starts much before the start of the professional journey; it starts in the schools and universities that one attends. It is these connections that will later help foster much bigger network circle. For example, that old school friend who has chosen the field of finance, will help you in filing your taxes effectively, and even help save some money.
From the initial stages where one has to choose which institute to join for higher education to the advanced stages of accepting a job, your circle will have an impact on the opportunities you have in your hand.
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Example of Venus & Serena Williams
In the field of politics, entertainment and business, the impact of networking is shown to have a considerable impact on the career graph of an individual. The father of the world-famous tennis players, Venus and Serena Williams is a perfect example of excellent networking. During the earlier stages of life, when the William sisters were kids, their father used to take them to the best of coaches to showcase their skill and convince them to coach, even if he couldn’t afford the fee.
This resulted in a beautiful chain of events where even if one coach couldn’t teach them, he helped the sisters by referring them to another coach and eventually, the sisters ended up having an excellent full-time coach with full court facilities. If start-up business is taken as an example, the entrepreneurs spend a huge amount of time in networking to raise the finances and the visibility of their brand. Even the multinational companies engage in networking activities to widen their reach.
The benefits of networking are many, such as:
Industry Insights –
Engaging with fellow professionals and fostering relationships enables one to stay informed about the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in chosen field. This knowledge helps one to stay ahead of the curve and make well-informed decisions.
Access to Wider Clientele –
By cultivating relationships with individuals in the industry or related fields, one can access new business opportunities. These contacts may have clients or customers who need their products or services and could refer them.
Credibility –
Networking is akin to constructing a house of cards, where each connection serves as a supporting element for your professional reputation. The more successful connections you establish, the more reliable and credible you appear. Training and certification garnered from networking builds self-confidence and promotes self-esteem.
Job Opportunities –
Statistics show that a staggering 70% or more of job opportunities are discovered through networking. Companies also have referral programs like “Bring your buddy” where people who are working in the company, may refer their eligible friends for open job opportunities.
Benchmark Performance –
By comparison with other professionals and the trends in the industry, one can identify potential areas of self-development to climb the corporate ladder.
Apart from these specific advantages, good networking also helps one to gain new ideas, be more creative and confident, build a professional niche and create new opportunities for partnerships.
Given the importance of networking, below are few methods to improve the networking skills:
- Humility & Self Growth: The first step in having a broad and efficient network is to foster humility and understand that networking should not be done with an intent of selfish gains. It is to be understood that networking is done to improve oneself and create opportunities for growth for self and for others as well.
- Clear Objective: Having a clear objective is important and plays a vital role in choosing the people to add in our contact list. For example, when in search of a job, all the people in the industry who are both employed and unemployed may be helpful and while considering the idea of switching fields, the networking should be more flexible.
- Give & Take: It is to be understood that networking is about give and take. What you bring to the table should be of value to others, that is when, they might be interested to form a connection with you. This quote by Zig Ziglar summarizes the same, “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want”.
- Sharpen Your Listening Skill: Keep in mind that networking is about fostering relationships, not just gathering contacts. People want to feel that you have listened to and value their experiences and insights. Intently listening will not only help one understand better but also improve the quality of the conversation that happens later.
- Market Yourself: Self branding is key in networking. The set of sills, expertise and knowledge you bring to the picture will matter greatly. It is advised that one should always be ready to pitch about oneself, and practice expressing your strengths and values efficiently.
- Enhance Your Digital Image: Ensure you maintain a positive online image. Consider conducting a Google search of your name to see what results appear and adjust your privacy settings as needed. Enhance your online identity by setting your accounts on social networking sites, like Facebook, to private and removing any questionable material.
- LinkedIn: In the present day, LinkedIn is the easiest and the quickest way to increase the networking circle. From old school friends to acquaintances who live abroad, all of them can be connected to via this platform. Other social networks also are effective, provided they are used consciously.
- Improve Your Basics: The basics still remain relevant, improving one’s speaking skill, presentation skills and questioning techniques will help one connect and convey to the other person.
Conclusion
Everyone faces hurdles in his/her career development, whether due to limited resources or financial constraints. However, strong networking with influential individuals in your field can provide vital support during challenging times. Building your career is a long-term endeavour that hinges significantly on how you navigate your networking journey. Consciously working on improving one’s networking skill is a must if one wants to become successful. The connections you maintain play a crucial role in your professional growth.
