When we think of networking, we often think of rooms full of strangers with name tags who shake each other’s hands and make awkward conversation about the latest developments in their industry.
However, networking can be much less formal and even social. You don’t need the gift of gab or a prominent status to develop connections that will boost your career. Consider the following best practices for developing and maintaining a healthy professional network.
Bring the Right Mindset
Many people shy away from networking because it feels too awkward and transactional. If you are one of these people, it helps to adjust your mindset and think of networking as making social connections. Approach networking interactions as opportunities to get to know people and share knowledge. This can help you make deeper connections that bear long-term fruit, as opposed to transactional connections with short lifespans.
Go to Your ‘Well’ of Connections
Another reason people shy away from networking is the idea that it has to involve meeting new people. However, research has shown that one of the most effective forms of networking involves reaching out to dormant connections, such as old friends from school and former coworkers.
Networking with these people is easy because you’ve already built a strong connection with them. Start these interactions as simply trying to catch up and reconnect. Then, you can get into your current job situation and where you’re looking to take your career.
Focus on Making Deep Connections
Networking doesn’t have to involve making awkward small talk. In fact, research has shown that people prefer meaningful conversations over idle chitchat, even if it’s with a complete stranger.
Oftentimes, it’s easier to have these deeper conversations with people who are on the same level as you. Making “lateral connections” can also help you learn new skills and perspectives, which can improve your job performance.
This isn’t to say that you should avoid making connections with people who are more senior than you in their careers. For example, you could try to get to know your boss’s colleagues in management or your boss’s boss. These connections are more likely to lead to growth opportunities than connections with your peers. It’s also easier to make connections with these senior people, as opposed to total strangers, because you have a lot in common with them.
Focus on Inclusion
Connecting with people from traditionally marginalized groups is the right thing to do. Full stop. But networking with people from other ethnic, linguistic, and other backgrounds also has benefits for your career. Networking with people from different backgrounds helps to broaden your perspective, and it can help you tap into connections that you otherwise wouldn’t have made. This can set you apart from other people who only network with others who have the same background.
Reach Out to Connect to Our Professional Network
At American StaffCorp, our recruiters maintain large professional networks of employers and other professionals. When you connect with us, you instantly gain access to these networks. Contact us today or visit our job search page to see what opportunities we currently have in store.
