Networking is a key skill. It opens opportunities and keeps you in the know about the latest trends in your field. In the below article, we shall explore how to do this at the start of your career so that you can start building your network immediately.
What is networking?
Networking is about establishing and developing professional contacts. Attending networking events could keep you informed of key developments. You would have the opportunity to introduce yourself to other professionals/ academics, to tell them about your work and to forge collaborations across borders. You might hear about new job openings or new innovative ideas to tackle challenges. You may receive invitations to other events, such as conferences.
What is not networking?
Some people assume that handing out business cards at events is networking. Others like to go to events without any objectives and spend their time chatting about irrelevant topics. Some people attend workshops and seminars; however, they hardly ever talk to anybody. Networking requires work. It is best to set an intention before participating in any events, e.g. who you are looking to speak with. The more you prepare in advance, the more confident you might be when introducing yourself to others. The more you can improve your interpersonal skills, the more you will succeed at networking.
Where can you network?
You can network at conferences, workshops, seminars, courses, industry events and of course via social media. LinkedIn, one of the largest social networking sites, is designed for individuals to make meaningful connections. If you have never really dipped your toe into the area of professional networking, LinkedIn could be a great place to start.
What is the difference between formal and informal networking?
You may already do a significant amount of networking without realising it. Informal networking can include having a coffee meeting with your colleagues, going for a departmental lunch or taking part in a social event at the university. These could all provide you with the opportunity to introduce yourself to others in a different field and develop professional relationships with them.
Formal networking could involve attending conferences and structured networking events. You could attend networking events for business professionals or academics. When you attend formal events, you might want to decide in advance what your objective is for attending the event. Who would you like to introduce yourself to? Who might be helpful to collaborate with?
Set an intention:
If you are new to networking, it could be useful to set some objectives before the event. For example, you might decide that you want to introduce yourself to 10 people at each event. You might want to commit to attending one face-to-face event on a weekly or fortnightly basis. You could develop a list of events to attend in the next few weeks. If you would like to do online networking, you could spend 1 or 2 hours each week developing contacts via online platforms.
Consider your barriers:
It is a good idea to explore what might hold you back. Do you lack confidence? Are you concerned that you may not be able to find the right words to introduce yourself? Do you worry that you might not be able to ask the right questions? You could explore these challenges in advance and find a solution. If you are worried about introducing yourself, you could create a simple 1-minute introduction (also called an elevator pitch) in advance and practice it prior to the networking event. If you are concerned about not being able to ask the right questions, you could brainstorm a list of questions in advance.
Practice, practice and practice:
Kaizen is a Sino-Japanese word which describes improvement. It means continuous and never-ending improvement in any activity or life area. Think of your next networking event as practice. Take all the opportunities you can to chisel your skills and to do even better next time. If you need to give a presentation, think about this as another opportunity to practice confident public speaking. We become confident through practice and stretching ourselves. We boost our confidence by getting out of the good old comfort zone. Confidence does not come from sitting around, hoping or wishing. It comes from action.
People often do not know:
While you might think that everyone is aware of how nervous you feel, you could be wrong. Remind yourself that people see you differently from how you see yourself. It is quite likely that you appear far more confident than how you feel.
Do I need to follow up?
Absolutely! You might find it helpful to create a LinkedIn profile if you have not got one. LinkedIn will enable you to look up other people’s profiles, to connect with them, and to join groups. If you have had a helpful conversation with somebody, do make sure that you follow up with them after the event and ask if they would like to speak again over a cup of coffee.
Be realistic:
Networking is a bit like gardening. First, you need to consistently put in hard work, attend events, and follow up. You may, however, not see any results in the short term. However, if you continue with the process and you keep on developing your skills, you will start reaping the benefits of networking soon.
Top Tips:
Practice, practice and practice. Networking is a skill that everyone can master. Prior to attending large conferences, do attend some smaller local events.
Remember that others may struggle to tune into your accent. Do speak slowly and clearly and avoid unnecessary jargon.
Listen carefully. To start a conversation, do ask open questions (as opposed to closed ones) and listen carefully to others’ responses. Make sure that you do not interrupt others and show respect.
Forget perfection. You may not realise, but many people find networking a slightly uncomfortable experience. Do continuously develop your networking skills.
Follow up. After the event, you may wish to connect with your new contacts via LinkedIn.
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