Hi! I’m Roberto Martinez, a Grow with Google Digital Coach.
Today we’re going to talk about why networking is important for professional development,
how to build your network, and what you can do to make the most of networking events.
Networking is all about building professional relationships.
Think about it as your extended professional family.
When starting out, networking can help you learn about job opportunities while at the same time getting you acquainted with others in your field
who might be able to give you guidance on how to look for jobs, advance your work, or increase your skills.
Finally, networking can put you on the radar of people and companies looking to make a hire now or sometime in the future.
Developing a network may be valuable, but it isn’t always easy.
Fortunately, some simple steps can help you make a plan to get yourself out there.
First, commit to building your network.
It might seem intimidating to have conversations with people you’ve never met,
but it’s empowering to think of all the great things you can learn from new contacts.
It can also help to decide on a minimum amount of time to dedicate to networking.
Whether it’s an hour a week or an hour a day,
having a schedule can help ensure that you make it a priority to build professional relationships.
Then, come up with a few concrete activities that can help you make the most of that time.
You can set up phone meetings, coffee talks, or video meetings with people you find interesting...
Whatever helps you establish relationships.
To start networking, create a spreadsheet of all your work and potential connections.
Add people like former managers, peers, former classmates, friends of friends, and more.
Identify anyone on your list who may know others you’d like to connect with.
It can help to organize your spreadsheet into groups:
Active Allies - People you have a strong, frequent connection with.
Active Acquaintances - People you have a less frequent connection with but are still friendly with.
Expanded Network - People you haven’t met but would like to.
Ideal Role-Havers - People you know who are in your ideal role that you can reach out to.
Once you know who you want to build relationships with and learn from, decide how you’ll network.
Research conferences, talks, and in person and virtual events where you can network with large groups.
If you’re nervous about attending these alone, consider inviting a friend or coworker to join.
You can also expand your contact list beyond the people you meet in person.
Use social networks to exchange ideas with others without even needing to interact face-to-face.
See if you have mutual connections with someone who might introduce you.
If you don't, that's fine!
Consider a brief introduction message you can send. Remember, make it meaningful and specific.
Why do you want to talk to this person in particular, what skills or experience do they have specifically that you want to learn from?
What are you looking to do with that knowledge?
Prepare your talking points and practice your pitch.
Basically, plan how you’ll talk about your background, ideal role, strengths, accomplishments, areas of passion, and reason for seeking career advice.
As you grow more comfortable networking, remember to always bring positive energy to each networking session.
Show enthusiasm, be aware of how you present yourself to others, and always follow-up with a thank you note.
So you’ve reached out to mutual contacts, met some new people, and even attended a virtual or in-person event where you made new connections.
There’s a little more to do to ensure your network’s going to work for you when you need it.
Organize your contacts a bit.
Examine the info you’ve received and identify who you’d like to get to know better.
Then, plan how and when you’ll reach out to them to continue the relationship.
Consider referencing what you talked about when you met.
If there’s someone that you felt you had a strong connection with and could provide you with ongoing advice, consider asking them to be a “mentor”.
A mentor is generally someone who has more experience than you, and is willing to share their expertise to help you grow.
Make sure to schedule time for ongoing conversations with them.
You don’t want to only reach out whenever you happen to want a recommendation for a job.
Not only will they potentially be annoyed if you only reach out when you need something,
but you’ll also be missing out on all the great career advice and learning opportunities that regular conversations can bring.
However you choose to expand your network, stick to the plan you’ve made.
Over time, you’ll see your circle grow, which can help you feel more confident as you pursue your professional goals.
Now that we’ve learned how networking is crucial to professional development,
and how the better prepared you are to build relationships, the more rewarding they can be,
let’s take a moment to review the key takeaways so you can feel confident in your next steps.
Think about how you can tap into your existing and extended network to learn more about jobs, careers, and industries that you might be interested in.
Take some simple steps to prioritize this. For example: decide on a minimum amount of time to dedicate to networking.
Create a spreadsheet of all your work connections and potential connections.
Organize your spreadsheet into Active Allies, Active Acquaintances, Expanded Network, and Ideal Role-Havers.
Make a plan for how you will network, whether in person, at virtual events, or via social media.
It’s totally cool to ask for introductions to new people via mutual connections, or to reach out directly.
Just make sure that you’re respectful of their time and give them a clear idea of why you want to connect.
Think about who from those you have networked with can be mentors and advocates for you in your career.
Thanks so much for tuning in!
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You can also access free resources, virtual workshops, Google Career Certificates, and more at our Grow with Google website.
See you next time!