Why Building an Intentional Network is Essential to Your Career
There are many excuses that you can make for not networking in your professional life.
Maybe you’re too busy and feel like your time is better spent getting work done than building relationships. Maybe you are just a natural introvert who hates the idea of small talk, introductions, or navigating office politics. Perhaps you simply don’t know where to start and have no idea how to go about building your professional network.
No matter what your reasons may be, I am here to tell you that it’s time to put those excuses aside.
Networking is not optional for your professional success. Not only is it important to make professional connections, but you must be intentional about what alliances you form in the workplace. Building an intentional network can make all the difference in your career trajectory.
Let’s look at 3 key reasons why building an intentional network is essential to your career.
Reason #1: You need professional mentors
Strategically identifying possible mentors is key to being intentional as you build your network. How are you ever going to be able to grow professionally if there is no one to give you advice or help you navigate the obstacles that you will inevitably face in your position?
Having strong connections with people who are where you want to go will make navigating the road to success so much easier. Not only will they be able to tell you how they were able to get where they are, they will serve as motivation to keep working towards your goals. Having mentors in your network also gives you a hand up and someone who will vouch for you when it is time to show that you have earned a seat at the table.
When looking to identify people that can serve as mentors, do not limit yourself to only your direct supervisor. Don’t be afraid to look higher up, or laterally in the company to identify possible alliances. Seek to form connections with not only your boss, but your bosses peers as well. Is there a board member or c-suite team member that you could connect with and gain knowledge from. Don’t hesitate to reach up.
Reason #2: Networking gives you access to resources
When building your intentional network, you will identify potential allies that have access to resources that will aid in your success.
When you do not have a developed professional network, you have less people to call on to help you get the job done. You become limited to the resources that you or your team can directly access. Having more people to be able to call on for help, means that you also have access to their resources. When a problem arises on a project, or you are working to meet a tight deadline, being able to reach out to others can make all of the difference.
When you choose not to network, you also lose the opportunity to be a resource for others. Showcasing your skills and talents by helping on projects that you may not have directly been assigned to, shows the value that you bring to the company overall. This is how you highlight the fact that you are an asset to the team.
Reason #3: Networking provides access to new industry trends and best practices
How are you going to know what new information is available to you if you are not talking to other professionals in your field? Having a strong professional network is how you stay in the loop with professional growth and development.
Enrolling in new training and certification not only gives you a professional edge, it gives you the opportunity to network with your peers. Some of the strongest professional alliances have been formed in corporate training sessions.
“Remember, iron sharpens iron. Surrounding yourself with people in your field that are thirsty for knowledge will help to make sure you don’t get left behind.”
Access to mentorship, resources and professional knowledge are only some of the reasons why networking is essential to your career growth. In order to reach your professional goals you have to get out there and form those alliances.
One real obstacle that gets in the way of networking is serving in a position where you are working remotely.
Building professional relationships is hard enough when you are interacting face to face, but being behind a computer screen makes the task even greater.
As more companies are switching to remote working environments, professionals like you need more resources to help navigate networking in the digital space.
That is why I created my free guide, How to Build a Network While Working Remotely. This strategy packed guide gives you 5 steps to building your network in a remote working environment.
Click the button below to get your free guide and start building your network while working from home today!
