![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn-01.cms-eu-v2i.applyflow.com\/identifi-global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/NetworksNetworking.jpeg\")
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\n\tJohn Donne famously wrote \u2018No man is an island entire of itself\u2019; a philosophy which certainly rings true in the world of business and career progression. As human beings, we thrive through forging new connections, developing reciprocal relationships and building trust. <\/span><\/p>\n \n\tBusiness networking can provide an invaluable source of information sharing, support and inspiration. Most importantly, it can boost your career or even change its entire trajectory. <\/p>\n \n\tIn an age where many jobs are filled by word-of-mouth and technological advancements happen in the blink of an eye, networking has the power to keep you in the loop, instead of one step behind. So what\u2019s the difference between joining networks and networking? Why exactly are networks and networking so powerful? And how can you develop authentic connections? <\/p>\n \n\tNetworks are official industry bodies, focussed on reciprocal support, learning and information sharing. Networking, whether online or physical, means events or forums set up specifically to facilitate new business relationships. <\/p>\n \n\tNetworks provide an effective way to stay up-to-date and knowledgeable about industry developments. One of the most positive aspects of networks is that they work on a supportive, reciprocal basis; it\u2019s not just about what you can get, but also what you can give to others. This mutual reciprocity creates authentic, long-term relationships built on trust – something which can prove invaluable for career progression.<\/p>\n \n\tIf you take the next step and become an active chair or speaker in a business network, you automatically position yourself as a leader and advocate for your industry. This can help to raise your profile and qualify you as an expert within your field. Again, this can open a lot of doors and lead to exciting career opportunities.<\/p>\n \n\tIn a word: trust. If you know and like someone, the chances are you trust them to some degree. So, if two job candidates are neck and neck, but one of them has an established connection with an individual at the company, that contact is likely to give them the edge. Of course, trust doesn\u2019t happen overnight: it takes time to develop. That\u2019s why networking is so important.<\/p>\n \n\tNetworking illustrates the huge power of word-of-mouth and referrals. If a job role is tweeted or shared on LinkedIn or Facebook before it\u2019s officially posted, individuals who are connected to those profiles will see it first. If you\u2019re not one of those people – by the time you hear about it, it could be too late. <\/p>\n \n\t \n\tConversely, if you happen to have a good relationship with an individual at a company, they could refer you before a position is even officially available. According to the <\/span>2013 Careerxroads Hiring Sources Survey<\/a>, employee referrals are the number one source of corporate hiring. Of course, a referral is no guarantee of getting a role, but it can give you that crucial foot in the door.<\/p>\n \n\tFor many people, the idea of joining formal networks can seem daunting. Apart from the natural anxiety that can come with meeting new people, there\u2019s the issue of choice. With so many possibilities out there, where do you even begin? <\/p>\n \n\tAsk yourself what you expect to achieve. Do you want to stay abreast of new industry developments? Are you paving the way for a specific job? Networking or joining networks for the sake of it can end up being a waste of time. While it\u2019s nice to meet new people, there needs to be some kind of focus in order to develop authentic, valuable business connections.<\/p>\n \n\tAn obvious place to begin is \u2018within your industry\u2019. By keeping your networking focussed and specific to your sector, you stand to make the most beneficial connections – especially in terms of career progression.<\/p>\n \n\tAlthough you can exchange knowledge, support and ideas with individuals in different industries, you\u2019re unlikely to be able to help each other with direct job referrals, as the crossover simply might not be there. This isn\u2019t to say these connections aren\u2019t still important – rather that if you\u2019re new to networking and your focus is a future job move, maintaining that focus helps keep the burden under control.<\/p>\n \n\tFind out about networking events and networks in your local area. Who attends them? How long have they been running? Is it highly thought of? The more research you do, the more likely you are to find the right event for your needs.<\/p>\n \n\tOnline, it can be as simple as connecting with more people on LinkedIn and starting a conversation. If you\u2019re approaching business leaders with a high profile, try asking a specific, interesting question rather than just saying \u2018hi\u2019 – think about how many people approach them each day. Make sure your profile is polished and up-to-date.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tNetworking is as important as your CV – perhaps even more so. <\/span>LinkedIn\u2019s global survey <\/a>found that in 2016, 70% of people hired had a connection at the company, so don\u2019t underestimate the power of who you know.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \n\t\t\tTime is money, so don\u2019t waste yours by not doing your research. If you\u2019re an IT engineer, turning up to a creatives and design networking event is probably going to be a giant waste of your time. Do your homework and find the right event or group.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n \n\t\t\tEvery person you connect with has the potential to lead to more connections. Once you\u2019ve established a strong professional network, anything you ask or share is likely to be shared with their network, giving you the opportunity to establish more relationships. Do you want to work for Apple but don\u2019t know where to start? Ask your network – if they don\u2019t know the answer, someone in their network might.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n \n\t\t\tPeople remember past behaviours and reciprocate them – and help can come from the most unexpected places. When it comes to networking, if you help others, they\u2019re unlikely to forget it – and they\u2019re more likely to help you out in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n \n\t\t\tThe whole point of networks and networking is to support and help each other, so don\u2019t be afraid to speak out or ask for help. If you\u2019re looking for a new job, let people know – you never know what it could lead to.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n \n\t\t\tThere\u2019s no point in establishing a network of people if you\u2019re not going to nurture those relationships. Don\u2019t wait until you need help finding a job or need advice. Be outward-looking by staying in active contact with people and asking if there\u2019s anything you can do to support or help them.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n \n\t\t\tForget about fear of missing out: if you\u2019re not networking you\u2019re <\/span>definitely missing out. LinkedIn\u2019s 2016 report<\/a> showed that nearly 80% of business professionals believe networking leads to a more successful career. If they\u2019re all doing it, can you afford not to?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n \n\tNetworking has always played an important role in business, but in our global, digital age, it\u2019s become one of the most powerful tools we have in terms of furthering our career prospects – and there\u2019s nothing complicated or mystifying about it. Networking is simply about making meaningful connections with other people based on trust and reciprocity – something we\u2019ve all spent our whole lives doing. If you\u2019re not doing it, make sure you start now.<\/p>\n John Donne famously wrote \u2018No man is an island entire of itself\u2019; a philosophy which certainly rings true in the world of business and career progression. As human beings, we thrive through forging new connections, developing reciprocal relationships and building trust. Business networking can provide an invaluable source of information sharing, support and inspiration. Most… Read More »How can networks and networking drive your IT career forwards?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14454,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career-management"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15344"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15344\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14454"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n\tNetworks and networking: what\u2019s the difference?<\/h2>\n
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\n\tWhy is networking so powerful? And why do you need to do it?<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n\n\tWhich networks should you join?<\/h2>\n
\n\t“Find out about networking events and networks in your local area.”<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n\tKey takehomes<\/h2>\n
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