3 Networking Tips: How to Build Networking Connections

Networking is the act of making new connections and building relationships. Networking connects people in similar or adjacent fields together in a public venue, giving them space to bond over shared interests or mutual respect. You can use networking for discovering employment opportunities, building friendships, recruiting, or sharing information with peers so you both achieve a successful career path. Individuals in a variety of jobs can benefit from networking, especially fields in which future work might heavily depend upon past accomplishments. For example, academics, advertising, the film industry, finance, publishing, and software development are just a few of the many sectors in which networking can be useful.

When it comes to professional networking, your results will often equal your efforts. Consider taking one or more of these steps to begin expanding your network:

1. 1. Attend a professional networking event. You can seek out networking opportunities in your area to find a group of new contacts with similar interests. You only need a nametag and a few printed business cards to get started. These events are excellent test environments where you can practice your soft skills, broaden your job search, or gain additional business networking advice.
   
2. 2. Polish your online presence to attract recruiters. Most human resource professionals will research candidates through their social media profiles. If you are looking for a new job, you might find it useful to research successful professionals and entrepreneurs in your field. Study their online presences and use their online networking profiles as templates to help you attract the attention of recruiters. Professional networking and social media sites can be excellent platforms for exchanging professional guidance and industry knowledge. You can use these digital platforms to reach many people and build numerous professional relationships quickly.
3. 3. Practice interpersonal skills with family or friends. Speak with a business partner or someone in your personal life whom you trust to provide honest feedback. You can also seek advice or referrals from professionals whom you admire or who currently hold your dream job title. Work to improve your interpersonal skills but remain authentic and true to yourself. Practicing and developing stronger soft skills this way can help you achieve your career goals.

Communication skills are among the most crucial assets for building a robust professional network since networking relies mainly on your ability to interact with others. Here are three aspects of good communication you should try to harness:

1. 1. Active listening: Effective networking communication is a two-way street. To practice active listening, you should remove distractions when conversing with someone. Refrain from looking at your phone, provide the speaker with eye contact, and maintain an engaged posture. When the speaker completes their thought, you can respond with open-ended questions or an empathetic follow-up to show you have understood their message.
2. 2. Engaged body language: Behavioral scientists have learned that body language is by far the most important factor in face-to-face communication. Body language is a catch-all term for nonverbal facial expressions, hand gestures, and postures. Humans are rarely overtly mindful of body language, but our brains automatically process sensory information in social interactions to assess the intentions of others. Study and note the differences in body language among people at your next social gathering. You will begin to notice positive body language patterns that you can implement in your own networking efforts to make a good first impression.
3. 3. Organization of thoughts: Concise online communications have become essential in the digital age. Similarly, it’s important to speak clearly and concisely, too. An elevator pitch is a good example of professional communication because you don’t have the luxury of meandering conversation starters or small talk. Whether you are delivering the pitch over email or in person, you must organize your thoughts and communicate in short sentences to captivate your audience while respecting their time.

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