What is the importance of networking?

Networking is very important for anyone's professional career. Because it allows you to build a relationship with other professionals who work in the same area as you or who have some connection.

Both professionals and entrepreneurs can benefit from this practice, being able to get job opportunities, clients, partnerships and even investments for their business.

What are the benefits of networking?

In addition to expanding your network and generating more interesting professional relationships for your career, networking also has other advantages.

Let's meet them.

Generate professional development opportunities

With more professional contact, You have more chances to grow in your profession.

Because as more people get to know your projects and your professional life, there is a greater probability that you will be called to work in a better position.

In addition, you can also develop within your own company, as you can network with your colleagues and thus become better known, and may be considered for a promotion.

conquest authority

By networking with quality, you can become an authority on the content you address and in your area of ​​expertise, become a reference.

That way you become more prominent in the market and thus attract the attention of customers and employers.

Participation in new projects

You may also be asked to participate in new projects, such as lectures, podcasts, workshops, among others. There is even the possibility of partnering with other professionals who are influencers and thus launching courses and gaining a larger audience.

Receive guidance

By expanding your network of contacts, you can meet professionals who are more experienced than you and thus can clarify questions and ask for advice on how to deal with a certain situation at your work. Even if you already have years in the profession, you can find people who have something to add, because we never know everything, we are always in a constant learning process.

Win nominations

Through networking you can also be recommended to fill a vacancy or even to potential clients.

That way you have more chances to receive interesting proposals and thus have good job opportunities.

Stands out

If you do your networking correctly, containing a good history, culture, proposal and differentiated vision, it is possible to stand out among the competition. That way you will receive more opportunities and win more customers.

Attract more customers

With networking, you can attract more clients, because as you become better known, you can attract the attention of people who are interested in your work and,, the services you offer.

Build your personal brand

This practice also makes it possible to build your personal brand, because as you meet more people and publicize your work more, you become better known and thus gain authority.

In this way, their information and advice become more valued, which can generate good working relationships.

How to start putting networking into practice?

As you've seen, networking can greatly benefit your professional career, but for that you need to take some actions that help make this tool more effective.

Let's meet them.

Attend corporate events

A good way to start building your network is by attending corporate events.

Therefore, participate in lectures, fairs, symposiums and exhibitions that allow you to have contact with people in your area or that are related to it.

Approach people creatively and honestly

It is extremely important that when approaching people you are authentic, so you don't want to create a character just to impress.

You must approach people with the real intention of helping and not just to get something.

In addition, it is essential to be creative and do something different from others to stand out, such as commenting on the company the person works for, their profession or a project they participated in.

know how to listen

It is also not interesting to just talk about yourself and not give the person an opportunity to express their opinion.

This ends up pushing people away from you, so you must know how to listen, that way you can get to know the person better and thus build a good relationship.

Treat people well

It's important that you treat your contacts not just as parts to leverage your career, but as human beings.

Therefore, be a pleasant person and treat others well, showing yourself open to creating a good professional relationship.

So smiling, being kind and remembering to text on important dates can make all the difference.

Use social media wisely

You should also use social media to your advantage to connect with people.A good way to do this is to join Facebook groups that are related to your professional field. That way you can meet different people, exchange knowledge and information, manage to create a good relationship.

Another social network that can help you is Linkedin, which has more than 645 million users. In it, you can produce content, follow people related to your area of expertise, comment on publications and even apply for jobs in various parts of the world.

Choose quality over quantity

Don't go shooting all over the place without even considering who you're adding as a contact.

It's important to think about the quality of your network and not quantity, so look for people who will really add you and not just have numbers.

Have a networking partner

You can enlist the help of a known colleague to be your networking partner.

That way you don't have to promote yourself, but you can trade favors by talking about your colleague's accomplishments while he talks about yours.

This way, there is no embarrassing situation and you will be genuinely helping another professional.

Ask good questions

It's important whenever you approach a contact to do so strategically. That's why it's good to ask questions that are related to your area of ​​expertise. That way, you will have an answer that will add knowledge and strengthen your professional relationship.

Truly help

A good way to strengthen your relationship with your contacts is to help people in a real way, that is, without requiring anything in return. So the chance that a person will remember you if a job opportunity or client arises is great.

Chat with people who have the same interests as yours.

For a relationship to strengthen, it is important that your contacts have interests in common with you. A good way to find this out is through a good conversation, where not only do you talk, but the other one too. This way you can get to know the person better and find common interests. But if you notice that the person is not interested in talking to you, it's good not to insist and look for others.

always be present

People will only remember you if you're there, so it's essential to update your social media and post interesting content. This way, your network of contacts will always remember you through your publications, and can contact you if an opportunity arises. In addition, you should also be present in person, for example, talking to someone you meet by chance on the street, who you haven't seen for some time.

broaden your horizons

Do not just communicate with people in your field, you can look for other professional contacts, especially if your profession is related to prospecting for clients.

So if you're a designer, don't just stick to this universe, try to participate in events in other areas where there are interesting lectures.

That way, Your chances of finding a new job or a better placement will increase.

Keep in touch

It's not enough just to add contacts, you have to cultivate them to strengthen your relationships. So talk to people a certain frequency and not just when you need it. You can do this through social media. That way these people will remember you more easily.

always be up to date

It is important that you are always studying and updating yourself in your area. That way you will have knowledge of relevant subjects that can be addressed in conversations with your contacts.

This way you will always have a subject and have interesting and constructive conversations, adding value to your contacts, and may even become an authority in your area of ​​expertise.

Be proactive

In order for you to keep up with market growth and develop professionally, it is ideal that you be proactive.That's why you should always be ahead and take the initiative, thus influencing your contacts, your team and your audience to find solutions to problems that haven't happened yet.

This helps you to anticipate and be more confident to face the challenges ahead. That way you will always have new ideas on how to act, regardless of the situation.

Specialize in an area

You should also specialize in your field so that you can exchange valuable knowledge with your network. That's why it's important that you publish relevant and informative content. So you must be up to date on the market, read recent news about your area and be aware of any news.

In addition, you can participate in discussion groups and forums on subjects related to your field of activity.That way you will have authority on the subject and you can become a reference in your area, attracting influential people.

Recommend your contacts for opportunities

Another effective way of networking is by referring your contacts to good opportunities. That way, if the company you work for has a vacancy for a position related to your contact's area of ​​expertise, you can indicate it.

That way, your contacts will be more likely to return the favor and refer you to good opportunities as well.

Make yourself available

In addition to building contacts, it's good to maintain the relationship, showing yourself available and answering the messages they send.

You don't have to be online all the time, but it's good to respond when you can and pay attention to your contacts.

In addition, you must accept invitations you receive to lectures, corporate events and workshops.

This way, you will show that you are interested in maintaining the relationship with your contact and will strengthen your relationships.