Why You Need a Professional Network (and How to Build One)

There are many benefits to having a solid professional network. Networks enable you to share information and ideas, discover new opportunities. On occasion, they can even help you find a new client or lead.

Here we outline the benefits of a healthy professional network and give you some tips for expanding and maintaining yours. 

What is professional networking?

Professional networking is all about building relationships with others from within your industry or field and beyond.

The practice involves building up contacts, connecting with and getting to know other people with a professional context.

It requires you to be involved in social and professional opportunities, and participate in activities with the intent of connecting with other people. These activities help to form professional bonds which are mutually supportive and beneficial. 

Operational vs strategic networks

It’s easy to forget that there we have existing networks within our own organisations. Your professional network already includes those folk you work with every day, your employees and co-workers, and colleagues from within in your team and organisation.

These can be considered an operational network, a group of people that you are likely to be able to need to collaborate and cooperate with regularly. Beyond these most immediate relationships are strategic ones, established and maintained beyond your business or organisation.

Benefits of professional networks

Building a professional network can benefit you in lots of ways. Having a group of people to share ideas with and explore perspectives and opinions gives you a safe sounding board. You will have access to people who can help you make sense of any professional issues or problems you encounter.

Your network might help you see a situation in a different light, and by listening to others as they share their own experiences, it might help you think outside of the box. Creativity, reasoning, and problem-solving skills can all be enhanced by connecting and sharing with other professionals

Networks create opportunities

Then, of course, there is the fact that networks are good for business. Referrals can make or break a small business. Having a solid network can assist you with marketing you’re producing, reaching new markets and improving your profile.

Many people find new jobs through network contacts, and networks can also help spread the word. Information can travel fast when new opportunities crop up.

Networks need to work both ways

Building up relationships can also help you feel more confident, as people from your network make referrals and recommendations that benefit you. But don’t forget to share the love – always give your peers credit when it is due, and seek out opportunities to help and support them too.

Some people tend to think that networking is about using others for their own gain. But heading into networking activity with this approach is likely to leave you feeling let down and disappointed, and probably with a reputation for being selfish or unscrupulous.

Using your network to cultivate goodwill and kindness will always pay off in the long run.

How to build a professional network

Be Genuine

Like any other part of your job, networking involves work. While platforms like LinkedIn do make it easy to keep in touch with professionals you have met and connect with new peers, genuine networking requires both effort and time. Spending time with contacts face to face gives you a real opportunity to share and build trust.

Don’t forget the people’s time is valuable though, and there is a fine line between being professional and friendly, and becoming a bit of a burden. It’s great to be enthusiastic but just don’t go overboard!

Understand that people network differently

You will find that you will want to turn to different people in your network in different situations and circumstances.

If you have a contact who is a very deep thinker, you might talk to them about a moral dilemma you are facing at work. If you have a contact you consider a shark at sales, you might want to discuss how you could launch a new product with them.

People from within your industry will give you some insight into specific issues you are encountering. Contacts and leaders from a different field might be able to help you think about things from a completely new perspective. 

Understand different personalities and approaches

Some people are born networkers. They can attend a function and come away from it a complete set of business cards, new email contacts, and even a job offer.

If you’re one of these people who find networking a challenge, you’re not alone. Networking doesn’t come easily for everyone.

For some of us, getting to know and trust new people is a bit difficult and seemingly more effort that it’s worth. If this is the case for you, your best bet when networking is to aim for quality, not quantity.

Don’t take rejection personally

Extroverts tend to find it easier to build extensive networks, while introverts prefer to have fewer deeper professional connections. Invest your time in building up a couple of top-quality relationships rather than more superficial ones.

Remember that the people you are meeting may not all want to expand their networks in the same way you are.

Don’t be offended if you never hear back from that person you emailed; it’s rarely personal.

Know the differences between networking online and offline

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly changed the way we interact and work with others. We might never have thought it possible to spend much time working from home and not in the workplace as we have so long been accustomed to.

The use of tools like zoom and Skype have made us all feel a lot more comfortable about virtual meetings and connecting online.

There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that networking online can be just as meaningful and essential as networking in real life. It’s thought that some people who encounter anxiety when networking in person find networking online easier and more valuable.

But don’t give up on face-to-face networking. It’s still believed to be easier to create a positive first impression when meetings occur in the real world rather than online. 

Plan it out

A healthy network doesn’t just happen by itself. If you want to build and grow a supportive network, you need to treat this as any other goal you are working towards. Practical goal setting involves taking some time to create an action plan that will guide you as you go.

To begin, create a list of people you already know that you have met through work, volunteering, or at events. Then, make a list of people you would like to meet.

This could include the specific names of people you would like to connect with, or be in a more general role or position.

Aim for five to ten names or roles on each list, to begin with. Make notes about how you could improve, foster or create relationships with these people.

Examples of how to connect

If you want to build a relationship with someone you already know, plan to send them an email with an invitation to get a coffee.

Suppose it’s someone you would like to meet, research upcoming seminars or workshops they might be attending.

Review and update your networking strategy regularly, and make sure you keep up the concentrated effort to connect. 

Strengthen your memory

When you are meeting new people for the first time, make a real effort to listen to them and remember what they tell you. Active listening is a significant relationship-building skill.

If you get the chance to show a person you have heard and remembered what they said, they are likely to appreciate and reciprocate.

If you’ve got a big networking event where you will meet many people, take a notebook with you and jot down the details you pick up from your new contacts.

Remember that first impressions matter and may set the tone of your entire relationship with a person. Be friendly, pay attention and make an effort to listen to what you are hearing and remembering the details.

Join local groups and clubs

Many local councils support business networking initiatives and events. Some even list the details of local businesses on their websites.

There might be local clubs for enterprises, associations for your business, or even a relevant main street association.

Other networking ideas include volunteering with a local community group, joining the board of a charity, or trying out a service club like Rotary.

All of these opportunities increase your interactions and exchanges with people, and as you get to know and work with them, you will find some will become important contacts.

Find a mentor or take a mentee

You could seek out a mentor program and become a mentee or, agree to mentor a young person. This relationship helps you connect with a different type of person and benefits both parties. Having a mentor can give you confidence and encouragement as your business or career grows. Similarly, supporting a younger or less experienced person gives you the chance to extend your knowledge, and gain leadership and motivational skills.