You’ve put in your time and made an effort to get to where you are in your career right now. You are ready to make a change, but you don’t know where to start. Well, let’s face it, not everyone gets to have the same opportunities and this can hold you back from reaching your full potential. It’s not easy to make new connections, but it’s something you have to make a priority. After all, the people you surround yourself with now will be the people who help you get where you want to be in the future. Here are some networking tips that will help you grow your career and get the connections you need.

Attend Lots of Meetings

Meetings are an important part of any professional’s calendar. You can learn a lot from other people in a meeting setting. There are many career coaches who will tell you to “meet, eat, and drink your memoirs”. What this means is to take the opportunity to learn from other people in those meetings.

You can learn a lot about others by simply asking questions and listening to the answers. You may even find out something new about someone who you thought you knew well. There is no better way to build relationships than by actively listening and asking good questions.

Network at Work

Business networking is a two-way street. You should also network with others outside of work. This can include community organizations and professional associations. While it is true that most of your contacts will be people outside of work, it is also true that most of your work colleagues will become friends, or at least colleagues-with-benefits, with those you meet outside of the office.

Keep in mind that you can never really know someone until you’ve ‘thrown the bones’ with them (i.e. had a drink or coffee with them). This advice is particularly true for business relationships. While it is important to keep in mind the difference between business and social relationships, it is also important not to focus on the business aspect of a connection too much. It is simply not necessary. You can be friendly and professional in business, and it is okay to be cordial in social situations.

Network with People Outside Your Job

There are many ways to network beyond your job. The easiest way to get started is by looking outside of your own department. For example, if you are interested in photography, you could start a conversation with a maintenance worker at your local gym. Or, if you are interested in design, you could start a conversation with a financial advisor at your local bank.

Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to start conversations with people from all different departments at work. This will allow you to meet people who work in areas that are related to your job, but not specific to it.

Network with People Outside Your Company

It is important to remember that your work colleagues are not the only ones who can help you grow your career. You can also meet and make connections with people outside of your company. Organizations often have career fairs where you can make connections with people outside of your company. You can also join professional associations and participate in events related to those groups.

Joining professional associations can be a good way to make new connections in your field. You can often learn a lot from other members of your association by simply asking questions and listening to the answers.

Network on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is one of the most popular online platforms for making professional connections. You can create a professional profile that includes a wide range of information about yourself, including your employment history. You can also join groups that are related to your interests and hobbies.

Joining a professional association or organization on LinkedIn can also help you make connections with people in your field. You can see what events are being held by these groups and attend one or two events a year, meeting people in your field and making connections.

Network Online

Social media can be a great tool for building professional connections. You can create a LinkedIn profile, a Twitter account, and a Facebook page. A professional presence on social media can help you make connections at work, as well as connections in your community.

You can also join professional social media groups on sites like Reddit, Quora, and LinkedIn. These sites allow you to create communities around specific topics, helping you to meet people with similar interests.

Wrapping Up – Do Your Research Before Connecting

When you’re looking to make new professional connections, you have to do your research. This means looking beyond your company and to other companies. Who you connect with and get involved with on these platforms are going to help you build your network and get to know people in your industry.

So, don’t just limit yourself to your company’s social media accounts. Explore other companies’ social media accounts and make connections.

Now that you know how to grow your career and make new professional connections, it’s time to get started. It is important to remember that networking isn’t about trying to collect as many connections as possible. Instead, it is about building meaningful relationships with the people you meet.