We get it- networking isn’t at the top of everyone’s to-do-list. It can be time-consuming, downright awkward on occasion, and – depending on your personality- incredibly draining. When your calendar is already overcrowded with work appointments, the last thing you want to do is make small talk with strangers at yet another cocktail party. – Amanda Augustine on The Importance of Networking (and How to do it well)
The truth is some people have already tried out some of the things shared in this post, but were not pleased with the outcomes. But maybe, just maybe they pursued these things the wrong way.
Every relationship has got with it ethics and guiding principles. Failure to comply with such may unleash a lot of frustrations with the work environment.
At the same time, some people are workaholics. There’s no denying it- all they ever want to do is work, work and work. To them, time for hangouts are not so enticing.
Strong professional network have a bearing on your career success. When they’re managed well, they can help you grab opportunities faster and give you the competitive edge.
It has never been more important, anytime in the past, than it is today to know about what’s going on around us. Job markets have changed- both the way companies hire and how work is done. So whether we get involved online or on the ground is of little importance. It is through this that we get to know more about our reality.
“Experts agree that the most connected people are often the most successful. When you invest in your relationships- professional and personal- it can pay you back in dividends throughout the course of you career,” says Amanda Augustine in The Importance of Networking.
Ever heard of the mantra “No man is an island?” that’s true for all of us, in all spheres of life. We need each other.
Isabelle Mure on 5 Reasons Why Networking is Important outlines the following:
- Networking can help you start your own business: you may find people with exceptional creative abilities, or a highly feasible business idea that can help you begin your own business. Or you could be part of theirs.
- Networking can help you climb the career ladder: you can easily talk to people and gauge different career opportunities in order to climb up the ladder.
- Networking is a long-term investment: networking will help you meet like-minded people or people who are compatible with you in terms of future ideas, life goals, aspirations, and other plans.
Mariliza Karrera on 10 important benefits of Networking further state that:
- Networking makes you more visible: what many professionals fail to understand is that the fight for visibility and standing apart from competition does not end once you get the job. In fact, making yourself more visible in the workplace is not only harder, but it also requires a lot more skill.
- Opens Doors to New Opportunities: from getting approached by recruiters about job opportunities, to getting noticed by people who would like to work with you on the freelance basis, you never know when an opportunity that can advance your career will present itself.
- It becomes your resource: you probably have tonnes of questions about your industry that not even Google can help you with. Talking to other professionals (and this includes colleagues) can help you resolve these questions.
So rather than just embracing these ideas, we need to pursue them. Practice gets things done.