Have you ever heard of networking? This is a good list of professional contacts , something that can bring many long-term benefits, such as referrals and possible opportunities. However, how to build this network of contacts requires some specific attitudes.
Why have a list of professional contacts?
Who has contacts, has everything. Even if you are satisfied in the position you currently hold, it is always good to keep an eye on what is happening in the market and meeting professional colleagues can help with this.
The contacts help you stay up-to-date with the reality of your profession, so you can find out if the place where you work properly values you, if there are other better opportunities waiting for you, or even if it pays more to change areas than insist on where you are now.
Moreover, in some professions, contact is really necessary. This is the case of a press officer or a journalist, for example.
These professionals basically live in a relationship of mutual collaboration, as the advisor helps to think of content to be published, and the journalists publish about the clients of these advisors.
But even in professions that are not so dependent on a good relationship, networking is beneficial.
The more informed you are about your area and the more contacts you have to receive referrals when vacancies arise, the more chances you have of moving up the career ladder.
You can also benefit the company where you work, since having contact, when vacancies arise, you can indicate them. That way you have the chance to work with someone you like and trust, and the company's leaders can still give you good looks for the addition you've brought to the team.
How to make a professional contact list
Building a contact list is not that difficult, especially considering that nowadays we have a great ally in our favor, in this sense: the social network.
But just adding someone isn't enough for them to become one of your contacts. It takes more than that. See well:
1 – Do a mapping
The first step in creating a good contact list is to define who should be part of that scope.
After all, what's your goal? Find new areas? Looking for opportunities in other companies that are part of your area?
Filtering this information well can help you build a list with the “right” contacts, that is, those who have the potential to help you with what you want.
2 – Frequent corporate events
A place that has many potential contacts is the corporate event, where speakers, leaders in search of collaborators, collaborators in search of opportunities come together.
It can be a good option to learn and to improve your networking. Don't be shy, and don't hesitate to invest in interacting with these people. One idea is to have a business card, for example, that you can hand out.
3 – Be active on LinkedIn
As we already mentioned, social networks can be a good ace in the hole when it comes to socializing and networking.
However, just adding people is not enough. Who is not seen is not remembered.
And to be seen, you must be an active user of the platform. Only then will it attract attention. Otherwise, your profile is lost in the vast amount of information available on the web.
4 – Don’t look for contact only when you need help
Another tip is not to look for contacts only when you want something. People easily identify when someone is acting out of pure self-interest.
Show that you value mutual collaboration and try to listen more to the other person and help them in any way possible.
For example: if you know of a vacancy that fits someone on your list, why not send it to them? This already makes a huge difference in your relationship.
5 – Find your contacts outside of work
Based on this, it is also worth the tip to schedule programs with your contacts outside the professional scope.
It's good to be able to unwind and leave work a little aside, to make room for well-being and personal life.
Investing in relaxed interactions with your contacts (like a happy hour, for example) strengthens ties and builds trust.
6 – Ask your contacts to introduce you to their contacts
In practice, the more extensive your contact list, the better.
Therefore, you can ask a colleague to introduce you to other colleagues, and you can also do this, introducing a colleague to another.
The larger this circle is, the more chances of getting a return.
