For one to succeed in any career, networking is as important as waking up and going to work.
Networking is the action or process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts.
However, some people don’t know how to network and achieve the most from it. So here are the three musts of networking:
1. Show Up
Be present. Showing up and participating allows you to interact with various individuals. It is important to note that networking is a great way to get a job, but it can also be a positive way to interact with individuals in the same field. Do not let yourself be pigeon-holed into one way of thinking when you attend a networking event. Be open and you will be surprised by the contacts you gain.
2. Form Relationships
Finding common points of interest makes a conversation easy and memorable. To stand out and making an impression just ask questions. People will always like having someone share in their interests, however, it is a thin line between expressing your interest and being intrusive. Have an interesting question ready to spice up the conversation. Apart from the usual small talk conversation points on the weather or the current political situation, you can change it up. A question like “What was the turnaround point that determined your career path?” could lead to an interesting conversation.
3. Follow Up
Developing networks is all about the work put in after the initial encounter. Follow up the conversation with an email or a set up a meeting. This shows your dedication and expresses how serious you are about an opportunity. Since you may not be fully aware of the opportunities available, setting up a meeting to discuss how you could of use to an organization and fulfil some needs that they may have could work in your favour. With a meeting, you could very easily transition from the job-hunting phase to full employment.
In conclusion, sticking to this easy 3-step plan could help open upto many opportunities. Increase your knowledge, widen your scope of social groups and use them to influence your career.
This article was originally published on The Sauce by Capital FM. Read the full version here.
