Networking 101: The Basics of Professional Networking
This post, the first in the Networking 101 series, is for college students, new grads, someone looking to re-enter the workforce, or anyone looking for ways to expand their professional networks.
Ah, networking. The term gets thrown around a lot, so we’re here to demystify professional networking and provide you with the ins and outs needed to build a meaningful professional network that supports you throughout your career.
Let’s get into it.
What is Networking?
In simple terms, professional networking is about making social connections and building relationships with people who work in your industry or profession. This could be anyone from colleagues, mentors, to industry experts and leaders.
At its best, networking is a mutually beneficial relationship where both parties can knowledge share and offer their expertise, connections, opportunities, or career advice to one another.
Why is Networking Important?
Networking is important for staying connected with people in your field. A strong network can help you stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments, give you an outlet to vent or share accomplishments, and give you a competitive edge in your job search. By establishing relationships with professionals in your industry, you can learn from their experiences, gain insight into new opportunities, and build a community of like-minded individuals who can support you throughout your career.
Networking is especially important for historically excluded and underrepresented minority groups. By connecting with professionals who can provide mentorship, job opportunities, and other support, underrepresented talent can break through barriers and build successful careers.
Do you Have to Network?
People often ask us, do I have to network? Technically, no, but you’d be surprised by how many professional connections you already have without trying. Networking is like making friends, without the pressure of wanting to find people to spend your weekends with or to group chat incessantly. Think about someone that you’ve built a relationship with through a club, internship, volunteer activity, or a past job. You got to know each other naturally through that shared connection, but in getting to know one another, you actually built the foundation for a career-long relationship.
It can feel intimidating to start networking with people in your industry, especially if you are reaching out to people who are much more senior in their career than you are. But remember, everyone starts somewhere, and most people are genuinely interested in helping you.
How to use LinkedIn to Build your Network
LinkedIn remains the top social network for professionals to connect, share work updates and accomplishments, and message one another. Having an active LinkedIn profile is a critical component to networking. When setting up your profile, you’ll want to add details about your education, volunteer, and/or work experience that would give people details about who you are and what’s important to you. Adding a professional summary, location, skills, and photo are easy ways for people to identify you as someone they’d like to connect with. Not sure where to start? LinkedIn shared some example profiles and why they think they’re great.
For additional tips on how to build your LinkedIn profile to get noticed by recruiters for jobs you want, check out our past post.
Need to set up a LinkedIn? Here’s a solid tutorial for beginners.
Once you have your LinkedIn profile set up, you can build your network a few ways on the platform.
Send connection requests to people you know that would be helpful to your career.
Message people you know or that you’d simply like to know.
Post your professional updates and allow people to like, comment, or share your updates.
Join professional groups.
Find virtual or in-person industry events to attend. (Be sure to follow up with connection requests to anyone you meet!)
Remember, be Authentically YOU.
Much like making friends or dating, networking is all about two people connecting on a human level. Sending someone a LinkedIn connection request and then never speaking to them isn’t great networking (but I guarantee we’re all guilty of doing this). Not everyone you network with will be someone you stay connected to long term. Sometimes personalities clash or people’s networking priorities change, and that’s ok.
It’s important to stay true to yourself throughout your networking journey. People are more likely to connect with you when you are authentic and honest about your interests, goals, and experiences. Plus, when you're authentic, people are more likely to trust you and see you as a credible and reliable professional. This trust is essential when building a network, as it allows you to establish long-lasting relationships with others.
Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to networking, and the most important thing is to be true to yourself and let your unique personality and skills shine through!
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