The richest people in the world look for and build networks, everyone else looks for work. – Robert T. Kiyosaki
Many people think networking is exclusively destined for accountants, lawyers and people launching their startups. Well, this couldn’t be further from reality. Networking is for everyone and for many reasons:
1. Learn. Stay updated about all the latest trends and news in your industry, learn about all the existing opportunities for internships, programs, networking, practice and improve your pitch with people’s feedback and reactions, get express external advice, etc.
2. Increase your network. Meet new people and connect to a large spectrum of professionals from different fields, influencers and leaders. You should never wait until you need a solid network, you should start building it naturally sooner rather than later. The day you realize you need a lawyer, an accountant, a dentist, a stylist, etc. your Linkedin or Facebook should simplify your research.
Poverty, I realized, wasn’t only a lack of financial resources; it was isolation from the kind of people that could help you make more of yourself. – Keith Ferrazzi
3. Inspire and get inspired. You may inspire the juniors and you may be inspired by the seniors and the speakers. This girl who just came back from a trip to Japan for an international summit, the guy who is launching his business, or this girl who is the editor of that magazine you love reading that you could learn so much from and whom can inspire you so much with their stories, just like you can inspire the student or the person who hasn’t yet tried or gone through the same experiences as you. When you are around inspiring people, it gets contagious and their success and determination becomes the norm and reality that defines your life.
More business decisions occur over lunch and dinner than at any other time, yet no MBA courses are given on the subject. – Peter Drucker
4. Offer your social life a 360 makeover. Make new friends, discover new cool venues around town, try different types of networking events such as speed networking, special projects, sports networking, social networking, etc. You may score your next job or business deal while sipping wine at your next 5@7.
Networking is an essential part of building wealth. – Armstrong Williams
5. Find partners or collaborators. You have to agree that while you’re at home, or always seeing the same people, your chances of new opportunities falling into your lap are very thin. Which is why you have to put yourself out there to increase your visibility, to find potential business partners or suppliers, or to let them know about you.
Photo credit: Geovanni Solis and Chris M.