Let's keep this short and sweet. Networking, when done right, is your ticket to unique career opportunities, and to connections that will help you (1) learn, (2) advance in your career, and (3) realize and unlock your full potential (something we also facilitate among our Chairmakers and Klapstoel Seniors).
Interested to know the building blocks of networking, and how you can successfully connect with professionals you admire? Then you have come to the right place.
Take a seat and enjoy the read 🪑
1. Master your craft
Being an expert in what you do has been proven to help in building authentic relations with other professionals. You stand out if you love your craft and have a genuine interest in sharing your expertise and knowledge with other people. Conversations with others also come more naturally to you, and you are more capable of showing those around you what you bring to the table and why it is valuable.
2. Be Prepared:
Make sure that when you are a part of a networking event, you know who you want to know (always ask yourself why), and what outcomes you want to achieve from that interaction. By doing some research and preparation beforehand, you can be selective and intentional with your network, and that will automatically lead you to more authentic and beneficial connections (since, again, you know why you're doing so).
3. Have a Mindset of Relationship-Building (& Create Added Value):
If you wish to build meaningful connections with others, focus on what you can give, instead of what you can get out of those relationships. You can do so by being seen as a problem-solver or a super-connector (a great way to be an ally and pay it forward, by the way). If you keep score in your relations, they become merely transactional. See networking as an opportunity to build new skills and show your contributions. It's all about interacting with people you admire and have a reason to connect with, whether it be a common ground or similar interests/future goals (it's all about quality over quantity).
4. Listen Actively and Attentively:
This one goes hand in hand with building intentional and meaningful relations with others. And you have certainly heard of this before, but how do you actually do this? Well, one way is to ask questions that allow you to go deeper into the other person's life, and also differentiate you from more common or surface-level conversations (e.g., "What has been in the back of your mind lately?"; "What is the dream?"). So this is the first step. And then, really tune in and keep in mind specific information that your new connection has shared with you, and refer back to it. You can also take this as a way to follow up and maintain the connection you have built. This helps you keep the flow of the conversation and shows the other person that you are genuinely interested and involved.
5. Keep an Information Bank & Engage Consistently:
Keep a record of important details about your network (e.g., interests, preferences, important life events), and have them in mind when keeping in contact with them (be consistent). You can then engage by sending follow-up messages, sharing interesting articles or information, or commenting/congratulating on professional and personal updates. It can be as simple as sending a message like, "I saw this article on [topic previously discussed] and thought of you". Again, this shows you paid attention and that you care, and people see and appreciate that, trust me.
So, here it is. Some of the many, many (so many) tips on how to successfully build a network that brings you connections that help you grow in your career and facilitate your development. Remember that networking does not have to be superficial and used as an ulterior motive for your own career interests and goals. Do it purposefully, be genuine, and you will find people who challenge and inspire you (and who help you unlock your full potential).
How do you network, and what does successful networking mean to you?
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