Networking is a necessary evil if you want to be successful. I will repeat it: networking is a necessary evil if you want to be successful. You never know who the next person you meet could introduce you to and take your business to the next level. Keep reading for some of my best networking tips to grow your professional relationships effortlessly.
3 Ingenious Ways to Slay Networking Effortlessly
Join Facebook or Linkedin Groups in Your Current or Desired Job Field.
Most job fields from medical professions to marketers to bloggers have multiple Facebook and LinkedIn groups dedicated to connecting with others. Do your research before diving in by reading posts and seeing what type of support and engagement members get. Then start slowly by engaging with the most recent posts, offering tips and suggestions and asking questions. When you begin to feel comfortable, go ahead and post something yourself, but make sure to keep engaging with the other members. You do this already on social media, so it’s a natural extension to take it one step further to your career.
Reach out to Successful Alumni of Your University.
Chances are, someone famous or incredibly successful went to your alma mater. You don’t have to reach out to the Ariana Huffington’s right off the bat but do some research on LinkedIn and find others who have your dream career and connect with them. Then send them a nice note and ask if you can meet up for coffee if you live in the same city, ask for an informational interview, or even if you can email them some questions. The answer is always no if you don’t ask. Put yourself out there, and you will find that most people are flattered and always willing to take the time to respond and give advice.
Attend Panels or Workshops Hosted by Experts in Your Field.
Find out what the professional organization is for your chosen field (or the field you want to move into) and join if you haven’t already. If it’s a national organization, they will often have local, state, and national events that you can attend as part of your membership, or for a nominal cost. Look into the speakers and panels ahead of time and plan to attend the ones that seem worthwhile. Connect with the speakers and panelists after the event in-person and make sure to keep in touch.
Networking doesn’t have to be scary. If you think about it as building relationships, you’ll be a pro in no time. How has networking helped you in your career? Tweet me @lorenridinger.
