H O W T O O P T I M I Z E Y O U R P R O F E S S I O N A L N E T W O R K

B Y M I K U S K I N S

Whether you are trying to enhance your business or bolster your professional status, optimizing your network will always be a vital role for your professional success.

To do this, you have to understand that networking is very much a behind the

scenes type of task.

W H I L E Y O U O F C O U R S E W A N T T O P R O D U C E Q UA L I T Y W O R K AT Y O U R O F F I C E , C O N N E C T I N G W I T H P E O P L E T H R O U G H O U T A

VA R I E T Y O F BU S I N E S S E S A N D D E PA RT M E N T S W I L L H E L P E S TA B L I S H T H E R E S O U R C E S Y O U N E E D T O T H R I V E I N T H E F U T U R E .

L E T ’ S B E G I N B Y U N D E R S TA N D T H E C O N C E P T O F N E T W O R K I N G A N D W H AT I T C A N D O F O R Y O U P R O F E S S I O N A L LY.

W H E N W E TA L K A B O U T N E T W O R K I N G , E S P E C I A L LY W I T H I N T H E W O R K P L A C E , W E A R E TA L K I N G A B O U T B U I L D I N G R E L AT I O N S H I P S ,

S H A R I N G I N F O R M AT I O N , A N D L E V E R A G I N G S O U R C E S O F S U P P O R T.

Oftentimes, people make the mistake of playing it safe and staying within their comfort zone bubble.

W H I L E I T C A N B E I N T I M I D AT I N G T O G O B E Y O N D Y O U R C O M F O R T Z O N E , Y O U H AV E T O C O M P R E H E N D I N G T H E

I M P O R TA N C E O F B U I L D I N G Y O U R C O N TA C T S .

So how do you do this?

There are a variety of ways to go about expanding your network.

The most important thing you need to know is that you have to go into each meeting with the mentality to build and foster a strong and viable relationship.

T H I S T Y P E O F O U T L O O K A N D M I N D S E T W I L L H E L P C A L M T H O S E J I T T E R S S O T H AT Y O U C A N E S TA B L I S H A R I C H A N D O R G A N I C

C O N V E R S AT I O N .

Utilize your Immediate Resources

S TA R T O F F B Y C O N N E C T I N G W I T H I N Y O U R C O M PA N Y A N D O R G A N I Z AT I O N S .

H AV I N G T H E S E A U T O M AT I C C H A N N E L S W I L L M A K E T H O S E F I R S T F E W I N T E R A C T I O N S S M O O T H A N D S E A M L E S S .

A S Y O U TA L K T O T H E M , M A K E S U R E T H E Y H AV E A D E E P E R U N D E R S TA N D I N G O F Y O U R O B J E C T I V E S A N D G O A L S F O R T H E C O M PA N Y A N D F O R T H E F U T U R E .

I N A D D I T I O N , D I S C U S S H O W Y O U C A N A I D A N D S U P P O R T T H E M F O R F U T U R E P R O J E C T S S O T H AT Y O U C A N S TAY O N T H E I R R A D A R .

Connect with a Leader or Mentor who Shares your Goals

W H AT E V E R I S Y O U R E N D - G O A L , T R Y A N D U T I L I Z E Y O U R O W N A M B I T I O N S A N D I D E A S B Y C O N N E C T W I T H C O W O R K E R S W H O S H A R E T H E S A M E I N T E R E S T.

B E T T E R Y E T, T R Y A N D C O N N E C T W I T H T H O S E W H O H AV E A L R E A D Y S U C C E E D E D W I T H Y O U R C A R E E R PAT H .

T H E I R A D V I C E A N D I N S I G H T O F H O W T O A C H I E V E Y O U R G O A L C A N H E L P Y O U A LT E R O R O P T I M I Z E Y O U R P L A N S F O R T H E F U T U R E .

Utilize your Alumni Network

A L U M N I C H A P T E R S A R E A G R E AT P L AT F O R M I N E X PA N D I N G Y O U R N E T W O R K O U T S I D E O F Y O U R O W N C O M PA N Y.

W H I L E S O M E M E M B E R S M AY C O M E F R O M D I F F E R E N T F I E L D S A N D M A J O R S , T R Y A N D U T I L I Z E T H AT G R O U P T O I T S F U L L E S T.

E N G A G E W I T H P E O P L E Y O U D O N O T N O R M A L LY I N T E R A C T W I T H .

Attend Professional Events

T O F I N D T H E M , S TA R T B Y S E A R C H I N G O N L I N E E I T H E R T H R O U G H G O O G L E ’ S S E A R C H R E S U LT S O R T H R O U G H T H E P R O F E S S I O N A L N E T W O R K I N G S I T E , L I N K E D I N .

S I M I L A R T O T H E I N F O R M AT I O N M E N T I O N E D A B O V E , G O I N T O E A C H E V E N W I T H Y O U R P R O F E S S I O N A L G O A L S I N M I N D . AT T H E S A M E T I M E , D O N O T B E T O O S E R I O U S . T H E S E E V E N T S A R E M O R E F O R Y O U T O M I N G L E A N D C O N V E R S E .