7 Tips for Career Networking Success
It’s impossible to overstate the value of networking in building your career. Many jobs are filled through referrals, and if you don’t have those connections, you could find yourself missing out on your dream job.
One way to forge those relationships is by attending networking events like career fairs, professional conferences, or trade association mixers. These range from formal to informal and have various focuses. A job fair will be fast-paced and focused on meeting as many employers (or recruiters) as possible, sort of like the career version of speed dating. A mixer might be more informal and focused on building long-term professional relationships between workers in the same field.
Big or small, formal or informal, there’s one thing all these networking events have in common: if you’re an introvert, socially anxious, or just plain shy, the idea of attending probably makes you want to move to another state and change your name.
The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to attend networking events to build your professional network. With a little ingenuity, you can create a support system without ever again sticking a nametag on your shirt and reciting your elevator speech to a stranger.
Here’s how:
1. Build a Network Before You Need It
Don’t worry if you’re a step behind and need to grow your network in a hurry. You can do it readily enough, but if you start networking sooner rather than later, you’ll have a career network in place before you need it.
It’s easier to start growing your network as you grow your career. If you’re a college student or graduate, stay in touch with your friends, professors, and staff. If your school has a career network for students and alums, join it.
When you move on from a job, be sure to connect with your soon-to-be ex-coworkers on LinkedIn. Do the same with clients and vendors. The more people you’re connected with, the more people you’ll have on tap when you need a hand.
2. Maximize Your Social Media
Not so long ago, networking meant meeting people face-to-face. Now, we have social media to do some of the legwork for us. Thanks to social networks, it’s possible to connect with professionals in your field while sitting at your desk (or scrolling through your phone).
When it comes to professional social networks, LinkedIn is still the gold standard. LinkedIn boasts the widest reach of any career-focused network. Chances are, most of your colleagues are on there already — not to mention recruiters and employers you might want to contact during your next job search.
But LinkedIn isn’t the only game in town. Although you might not think of Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram, etc., as professional-focused social networks, you can use all of them to help you achieve your goals. Remember that networking isn’t just about finding jobs to apply for and people who will provide you with referrals for open positions. It’s also about connecting with others in a genuine way, outside of an immediate need for employment.
With that in mind, the best social network for your career development is always the one you’re willing to use. If you love Facebook, for example, but can’t really get into LinkedIn, you might do better to make your connections there. Just be mindful, as always, of what you post and what impression you’re creating when you do.
3. Network at Work
If you have a job, you already have a professional network, whether you realize it or not. Your colleagues, direct reports, managers, and clients are all people who can help you (and vice versa).
In fact, some of the best networking you do might be at your current job. Start by being excellent at what you do. Then, look for opportunities to extend your circle beyond the people you work with every day. Are there chances to work with other teams outside your department or on projects that will allow you to meet new people and try new things?
Don’t wait until you’re ready. Stretch assignments can help you grow as a professional while also allowing you to extend your circle of acquaintances. The end result may be a more robust skill set as well as a stronger professional network.
4. Help Others
Want to make sure you’ll have people in your corner when you need them? Help others, even when you don’t need anything in return.
Provide referrals for qualified connections. Write recommendations for former coworkers who are moving on to better things. Endorse or recommend contacts on LinkedIn. If you see a role that’s a perfect fit for a connection who is job searching, share it with them.
In short, be there when your connections need you. It’s not just about getting on their good side so that they’ll help you find a job someday. It’s the right thing to do. (But also, yes, it’ll be easier to find people to help you if you’ve always looked out for others.)
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Introductions
Maybe attending a networking event with potentially hundreds of strangers is too nerve-wracking … but what about a coffee date, set up by someone who knows you well?
These kinds of informal networking get-togethers are often less stressful than large-scale functions, but they can yield real results. You’d be surprised how willing many people are to meet with new folks and share their knowledge and insight.
6. Invest in Your Life Outside of Work
Do you have a hobby or a passion outside of work? If so, you don’t really need formal networking events. You can connect with others in the best possible way: through shared interests.
Think of it this way: there’s a reason that employers keep box seats at the local stadium for their salespeople to use when they’re wooing clients, and it’s not just that it’s a flashy perk. The fact is that people connect better when it’s not forced. If you share a passion for local sports, you and your client (or colleague or potential contact) already have a point of connection.
One of the best things you can do for yourself, and your career, is to stop keeping the parts of your life separate. Let your friends at your local knitting group know more about what you do for a living. Tell your running club you’re open to new opportunities. Talk to your neighbors about what you do and ask about their careers. Don’t push for referrals or job openings. Just share who you are and what you do.
The best networking contact is one who’s genuinely on your side and wants you to succeed. Who better to help you than your friends?
7. Get the Most Out of Your Networking Outreach
Before you start networking, or if you need a quick refresher, review these tips to maximize the benefits of your networking efforts while avoiding some easy-to-make mistakes.
New & Noteworthy
Freelancing Freedom: Crafting Your Career While Caring for Your Health: Jen shares her journey from traditional employment to freelancing, including how it offers her flexibility in balancing work, health, and family on Amber Tresca's About IBD Podcast.
No More Non-Competes: If your employer has required you to sign a non-compete agreement, it can make it difficult when you're trying to move on. You won't have to worry about it if you're in Wyoming. Effective July 1, non-compete agreements are banned. The new legislation makes Wyoming the 5th state (joining California, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Minnesota) with a general ban, and 30+ states have some restrictions.
5 Good Things: CNN’s 5 Good Things podcast makes it easy to find some of the good in the world. Every Saturday, you can listen to stories about the bright side of life from around the world.
Our Favorite Tools & Tips
CareerOneStop: CareerOneStop has free resources for those with unique barriers to employment, including veterans, 55+ job seekers, people with disabilities, new Americans, justice-impacted job seekers, new graduates, and Spanish speakers.
How To Get Hired Quickly After a Layoff: Here are some strategies you can use to speed up your job search when you've lost your job, as well as advice on where to get financial help when you're out of work.
LinkedIn Job Match: You can use LinkedIn’s job match feature to learn how well you match with any job on LinkedIn. The match summary explains how the qualifications from your profile match the job qualifications. Premium subscribers will get even more information, including candidate ranking and whether you're a top applicant.
Special Deals for our Readers
JobLogr: JobLogr is an AI-powered, mobile-friendly, platform you can use to find jobs faster and easier. You can organize and enhance every aspect of your job search, including searching for jobs based on your resume and application history, application tracking, resume and cover letter writing, LinkedIn optimization, and interview preparation. Sign up for a free trial, and if you're interested in subscribing, there's a special discounted monthly subscription rate for Job Hopper subscribers (use promo code Hop20).
Remote Rocketship: Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 70,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.
Our Partners
Jobsearchdb: When you're looking for a job in a specific industry or career field, using job sites that focus on the types of jobs you're interested in can be a time-saver. The Job Search Database includes links to hundreds of niche career sites, organized by category. It’s one of the best resources for finding job listings.
Remotive: Remotive can expedite your search for a remote job, and the basic version (2000+ jobs) is free. Learn more about how Remotive can accelerate your job search, and sign up for the Remotive Accelerator to access over 30,000 listings and the Slack community for a one-time fee.
Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using these links.