Not only does your network help you stay up to date on business trends but also serves as your first stop when looking for new job opportunities. Your network helps bring life to your career. It provides insight beyond the bubble of your position, company, and industry, and it enables you to imagine the future of your career and goals you hope to achieve.
Social media sites such as LinkedIn provide a fantastic platform to build your network and your personal brand. However, networking is not something that you can set up and then leave it to sustain itself. It takes time, energy, and thought to maintain, and it is imperative to your career that you invest in your network.
Generate Interest
To encourage people to interact with you, share fascinating and relevant articles that pertain to your industry—or industries that are of interest to you. Ask questions, promote ideas that align with your values, and encourage people to interact with your posts.
As always, be intentional; everything you share must promote your value and personal brand. My advice? Be careful what you share on social media and avoid posting controversial content that could potentially harm your own brand and your career.
Interact with Others
Just as you want to encourage your network to interact with you, you also want to interact with them. Doing so fosters relationship growth and deepens your connections with people who may prove significant in your career at some point down the road.
Invest time in commenting on others’ posts and acknowledge exciting moments in the careers of individuals in your network. Don’t forget to add a personal touch by directly messaging people who elicit thought-provoking discussion in their posts. Keep your communication genuine. The time spent will generate valuable interactions that your network will remember.
Remember Authenticity is Key
It is one thing to build a vast network with all types of contacts, but it’s another thing to create an authentic relationships. To authentically network, you must go beyond your career commonalities and really get to know people. Invest time in figuring out common interests beyond your career. Get to know people, and, by doing so, you will build a strong network that will prove favourable in the future.
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