Whether you’re looking for a new job, or just found a great new position, it’s important to build a strong, vibrant professional network. Networking i s about sharing ideas, learning new skills and techniques, and, maybe, yes, learning about great opportunities. 

But how do you go about starting, or building, your professional connection? 

 FurstStaffing is here to help explain it all! 

Let’s talk about the importance of networking.

Networking is essentially making new professional friends. It’s sharing ideas with people and connecting with others to expand your knowledge base.  Remember the first day of school when you’d meet a new student and you’d want to be friendly? You’d introduce yourself and invite them to sit at your table at lunch, that’s networking! It’s also a key way to expand your opportunities in your career.

An estimated 31% of people looking for a new job reach out to their professional contacts for leads, references, etc. These relationships are two-way streets: you never know when you’ll need someone’s help or when you might be someone’s lifeline. The more you network, and the more people you talk to, the more confident you’ll become in these conversations. These conversations could help you learn a new passion, or even discover about a job opening that interests you.

Networking also can help you find a great mentor or coach, someone who’s been in your position before and can help you know the best skills you’d need to advance your career, whether you want to change companies or jobs or if you’re just looking to earn a promotion. 

How can you build your network?

First, and probably the one you thought of right away, is to have an active, up-to-date LinkedIn account and use it. LinkedIn was created to be a professional social media platform, a way to keep your resume posted for recruiters to find you when a great job opens up in your field. It also is a phenomenal social platform that lets you connect with other people who might be of interest to you. It’s so easy to share articles, congratulate your friends and colleagues, build your network, and reconnect with college friends and other professional associates. All it takes is building a profile, joining groups – starting with any educational organizations from which you graduated or completed coursework – and finding groups that pertain to your interests. 

Networking events are happening all the time! If you work in an industry with professional associations in your city or region, sign up! Groups like MeetUp are still thriving and offer not only educational opportunities but also fun events for people to get together and talk about their goals and interests. If your company has anything to do with events, conferences or other gatherings, sign up to go and bring your best smile with you. It might take a little time, but if you research your industry, you’ll be sure to find groups or professional organizations with shared interests. If you’re uncomfortable in big groups of people, look for online groups and associations first and start there. It all counts!  And while it might sound a little old-school, consider getting business cards made. They can be very handy for helping put your name out there. 

What can you do outside LinkedIn and attending events?

Social media also can be a great networking tool. Pick your platform, or several platforms, and follow leaders in your line of work. Follow companies you’re interested in learning more about. Even influencers on social media can be great connections to make, just understand you won’t be able to forge the same kind of relationships as you might with other connections — but you can use their professional advice to your benefit. 

And that’s what networking is all about: Building relationships. Don’t be afraid to extend a virtual or tangible hand in friendship and professionalism. If there’s someone at work who has the job you’d like to have one day, or they’re doing something you’d like to learn more about, strike up a conversation! The old expression, that everyone has something to teach and we all have something to learn, is valid and should be embraced. 

Like everything else, networking is a skill. It takes practice and hard work, but eventually, it could become the most natural thing you do. You could be the person who walks into a room, seems to know everyone and also walks out at the end of the evening with the most new connections. 

 If you’d like more advice on networking, or if you’re ready to use your network as references to help land a great new job, it’s time to call FurstStaffing. Our recruiters and staffing experts can help you get your resume in great shape to really make a strong first impression on LinkedIn and other platforms and we can help you identify where you can build your network. When you’re ready to get started, give FurstStaffing a call!