10 Things You Should be Doing to Build your Professional Network
If you feel like networking is icky but you still understand that its important to land a job and you have no idea where to start… then join the club, we meet on Thursdays.
In all seriousness, we’ve probably all hear varying degrees of “getting a job is about who you know” and “most jobs are hired before they ever get posted online” and while those things might be true it doesn’t make the prospects of “Networking” any more approachable and while I would like to add that is totally possible to find a job online where you don’t have any connection.
It is much easier to find positions when you a larger network of colleagues to pull from. It’s all about probability, the more people you know the more chances you have heard about a really great position.
Now thankful for us folks who don’t love the idea of networking there are some networking “Hacks” that can make us feel more comfortable and take the negative association away. In this article, I’m going to give you 10 ideas of ways to build your professional networking that feels more organic.
1. Connect with more people on LinkedIn (set a target goal)
We all know LinkedIn is a great tool for professional networking and everyone there is already looking for other professionals to connect with so there no shame in the game. Take a look at the connections that your collegues have that you may know and add them!
Building up your LinkedIn network will allow you to see what other people in your industry are doing, see new articles and research, and even see what advice other professionals have. The key to really taking advantage of LinkedIn is to keep building your network. Take the time to connect with people you know or even people who you have an association with that you might not have met.
2. Update your social media bios (what you do/who you serve)
The good old internet is a networking tool in itself and every day you virtually introduce yourself without even knowing it. Almost all social media platforms have some sort of bio feature where you can say a little bit about yourself and that is the perfect place to position yourself as someone whos passionate about something.
Whether it be your LinkedIn bio that can capture recruiters or even your twitter bio where colleagues can follow for your great work memes. Make sure you utilizing the spaces in your bios to make a good first impression.
3. Take professional headshots/ stock photos
Taking a professional headshot is one of those tips that we all get and put it away as something well eventually get to but never do. This is your reminder to do that. For every time you need a professional photo and you have to scroll through endless selfies to find an appropriate one, save yourself the time and stress.
All you need to do is to find a neutral background somewhere with natural light, dress in business casual, and have someone take a photo with you from the waist up. This way whenever you need to make a virtual introduction you’re putting your best foot forward.
4. Go to conferences
Conferences are a great place to meet other people in your field in a situation that actually encourages talking about work. The idea isn’t to go the conference and meet a bunch of random people and call that networking but it’s about having genuine conversations with people and then if you feel inclined to, then matching with them via email or Linkedin.
I’ve seen a lot of people play conferences like a game where they’re just trying to collect points but it shouldn’t be that way. Just get to know people and even if you never see/ hear from them again you have at least learned one new thing.
5. Get a mentor
This is another one of those things that can seem daunting until you do it. A mentor is simply someone who has achieved a particular level of success or a goal you also hope to reach and can give you advice on how to achieve it. Mentors can be professors, bosses, friends, etc.
It doesn’t have to be a formal proposal of “Will you be my mentor?” (though it can be) but its actively seeking out people you may know who you admire their work and reaching out to them to ask them questions or for general feedback.
Keep in mind that not everyone will have the time to do this but some people will and its about finding someone who is willing to take the time for you to pick their brain.
6. Start a free project
Starting a free project or passion project in your field can be a great way to meet other professionals. Not only do projects bring more attention to you and your work but people are much more likely to initiate contact or keep up communication with you if they can see that you’re actively working in your field and not just you are.
7. Join Facebook groups
If you haven’t jumped on the Facebook group bandwagon then you’re missing out! Currently, I’m apart of 10 professional facebooks group, all with varying topics from women in the non-profit industry to blogging, to museum professionals. I only started using Facebook groups this year and it already made such an impact to have a community where you can ask questions and get feedback. Some of my favorite ones are: GGE (girls gotta eat), the 100k club , the smart blogging approach .
Note: You don’t just want to join a bunch of random groups but find a few keys groups of like-minded people and keep up with those.
8. Publish your Writing
Ever had a thought about a concept in your field or disagree with a common piece of advice? Then you should publish it. You don’t need anything fancy to get published in this day and age, all you need is an interesting idea and a few solid pieces of evidence.
You can publish your thoughts on Linkedin, a publication in your field, or even your website. Doing this can start a conversation and add a new perspective to your field that may not have been there before. You don’t need to be a writer to do this you just have something interesting to say.
9. Do informational interviews
An informational interview is all about reaching out to someone at a particular company or industry you want to work in and asking them about their experiences in that position. It’s all about learning about what the day to day realities are seeing if that’s something you’re interested in. This is a great way to connect with people because its one on one and you don’t have to know someone personally to do it.
You can just reach out via email and ask for an over the phone conversation. Some informational interviews can actually lead to a job but ultimately its another way to connect with and learn from someone in your desired field.
10. Have a home base (personal website/ platform)
If you’ve been here before you’ve definitely heard me go on and on about how important personal branding is a professional and how having a website can be a game-changer. Having a website means a visual resume that anyone whos interested can see. It established you as an expert in your field and make you look much more credible. You can create a free website on a hosting platform and pay for a professional domain and then voila! You have a place where people can learn more about what you do and reach out to you to learn more.
So there you have it! 10 Way to grow your professional network. Networking isn’t about how many people you know but instead, it’s about what type of impression are you making and how many people can vouch for all the amazing things you’re doing. So keep working hard and meeting cool people and the rest will fall into place.
