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What is Networking?
Whether you are an individual trying to make yourself a household name, a professional looking for new opportunities, or a business looking for lucrative sales leads, networking is important. Networking is the action or process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts. You have an empowering mission statement and a career path chosen – now what? Networking!
Why is Networking Important?
Short and sweet – relevancy.
If you type into your Google Search Engine, “why should one stay relevant?,” the first response to populate, produced by Indeed, is as follows:
A business may increase its chances of success if it can stay relevant. Operating a business is a continuous process with peaks and obstacles, which requires adaptation to new trends and customer preferences. A business that stays relevant may be more responsive to market changes.
So how do you use networking to stay relevant?
It is Not What You Know but Who You Know
This saying never made sense growing up but once I accepted my first Business Development position – boy did it make too much sense! Name recognition, relationships, leads, sales, and ultimately; success, does not happen over night. A trust has to be built amongst individuals or businesses prior to the first exchange of information can even be considered. Additionally, the exchange of any information or social contacts are often mutually beneficial which requires you, as a newbie, to have something to give. Putting yourself out there is a crucial step for your own success because relationships do not build themselves.
Right is Right, and Wrong is Wrong… Right?
There is no “right” answer for networking. Thousands of people are stuck in the business card era where others have not touched one in years. Every person and every business has their own success based on their own network plan.
Did I just say there is no “right” way to network? There has to be a Catch-22! There is. How you approach networking and your mindset is a big factor in networking success. Harvard Business Review highly recommends shifting from a “prevention” mindset to a “promotion” state-of-mind by learning to love networking by focusing on these important networking strategies:
- Focus on learning
- Identify common interests
- Think broadly about what you can give
- Find a higher purpose
Don’t Stop!
Bringing us back to the point of relevancy, you cannot fall complacent. Once you have developed a group of individuals or businesses you share information and leads with – DO NOT STOP THERE! Often times you see employers or employees who have been in the industry a while plateau causing business growth to come to a screeching halt. If you have found yourself feeling comfortable while networking, you are doing something wrong.
Types of Networking
- Hands On – Attend as many events as possible. Once you have built up enough connections, host your own event.
- Passive – Stay active on the Internet.
Momentum Encourages Networking
Momentum participates regularly as a guest speaker to promote knowledge sharing at many professional events. Momentum Employee Relations Generalist, Emily Burkhart emphasizes the importance that Momentum places on the value of personal growth through internal and external networking:
“Momentum tailors the complete experience to each individual employee. We are not a staffing organization. We are an organization that believes in finding the right fit for the right employee. This holds true for providing opportunities for our employees to learn and grow their skill set. Whether it is through trainings, certifications or internal projects, our goal is to provide a fulfilling experience for the employee to contribute in their personal and professional endeavors. We achieve this through continuing communication and assessment of our employees throughout the year. All department of the organization are committed to growth and success.”
Contact us today to start your networking with Momentum!