Networking is essential for career growth. Building meaningful relationships with industry professionals helps you find a mentor, meet hiring managers and recruiters, and uncover relevant job opportunities.
Organically growing your network when you do not have a huge professional circle can be easier when you have a strategy. The following four methods can help.
1. Network Through Social Media
Social media provides diverse networking opportunities:
- Send messages: Send a brief, personal message to a professional in your industry. Introduce yourself, mention something connecting the two of you, such as a mutual friend or a common interest, and your reason for reaching out.
- Join professional groups: Engage in groups relevant to your industry. Connect with others who share your interests. Consider introducing yourself on the group’s homepage and mentioning your job or experience with the page’s topic.
- Request advice: Ask managers or executives within your industry for career advice. Engage in conversations to build relationships.
- Offer to help: Clarify how your skills and experience can benefit other industry professionals.
- Create content: Share your knowledge and qualifications, ask and answer questions, and encourage conversations with other industry professionals.
2. Participate in Industry Events
Industry-focused workshops, seminars, and conferences offer significant networking opportunities:
- Set goals: Develop specific, actionable goals, such as meeting six new people or securing three job leads.
- Dress professionally: Show you are serious about your career.
- Introduce yourself: Share your name, job title, company, and what you want to get out of the event.
- Actively listen: Focus on the speaker, ask follow-up questions, and respond accordingly.
- Take notes: Write down key points of each conversation for later follow-up.
- Exchange contact information: Follow up with your new connections to continue networking.
3. Join a Professional Association Â
Engage with a professional association relevant to your industry:
- Leverage the association’s resources: A member directory, training sessions, and job board can provide opportunities for professional introductions, learning and growth, and interviews.
- Communicate with other members: Introduce yourself during association events, privately message members through the online forum, or use email to ask a question.
- Participate in events: Build relationships with other professionals. Exchange contact information for later follow-up.
4. Schedule Informational Interviews
Use LinkedIn to connect with employees in your desired companies and roles, schedule informational interviews, and learn about their roles:
- Briefly introduce yourself and your reasons for connecting.
- Request an informal conversation to learn about the job and company.
- Develop questions to uncover information that cannot be found online, such as why the person chose the career path and how they started working for the company.
- If the job and company fit what you are looking for, request an employee referral.
- Follow up to share information on your professional path.
- Offer to help in return.
Partner with a Staffing Firm
Work with SURESTAFF to access a diverse network of top employers looking for skilled job seekers. Visit our job board to apply for a role today.