Thirteen Tips to Build Friendships While Growing Your Professional Network
With Sincere thanks to fast COMPANY’s executive board for preparing this article.
Apply these strategies to leave a lasting impression.
Whether you are striving to expand your personal or professional network, it’s essential to create and nurture relationships that are not transactional. This is because, nine times out of ten, the majority of people will typically engage with people they feel confident around, can trust, and truly relate to in and outside of the marketplace.
Here, 13 Fast Company Executive Board members each share their strategy to help industry professionals utilize networking to drive their business or individual career objectives forward, tactfully and authentically.
1. REMAIN AUTHENTIC AND ENGAGED.
To effectively network, professionals must remain true to their life brand. What is the story you want to tell? How can the content you share with your network ladder up to that? Creating a consistent persona helps build trust in your peer set and the industry at large. For example, sharing content from creators with similar goals means you can showcase industry discussions to support your brand. –Irina Soriano, Seismic
2. BE WILLING TO HELP OTHERS SUCCEED—IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT YOU.
Adopt a new mindset. Too many people approach networking as “takers” (i.e., What can I get?) Reframe what networking is about by building relationships to help others succeed. – Amy Radin, Pragmatic Innovation Partners LLC
3. COLLABORATE TO UPLIFT UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.
Collaborate with organizations specializing in building social capital for underrepresented communities. At Latino Leadership Institute, our network is about more than connections. It’s a catalyst for success, fueling innovation, supporting advancement, and driving meaningful change. Through deep bonds and culturally resonant experiences, we revolutionize how Latino leaders engage, evolve, and elevate organizations. – Joelle Martinez, Latino Leadership Institute
4. STAY ENGAGED ON LINKEDIN.
Take an hour each week to strategically use LinkedIn. Update your profile to highlight your unique story and strengths. Engage with thoughtful posts to deepen connections. Use the search features to identify new contacts and join relevant groups. Publish and share original content to stay relevant and invite online discussions. Select one to two people to message each week for Zoom or in-person meetups. – Bonnie Davis, HuWork
5. LEARN FROM THOSE WHO’VE GONE BEFORE YOU.
To harness the power of networking for your business or career, connect with professionals who have even more industry experience than you, and learn from them. Not only do they have evergreen knowledge to share with you, but they can also share some resources they’ve found helpful. This is also a great opportunity to ask for an intro to another relevant industry professional they may know. – Chalmers Brown, Due
6. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE PEOPLE OR YOURSELF.
Treat everyone like they are the billionaire in the room, equally and without judgment. Never underestimate an encounter because you never know how someone can help you or how you can positively impact someone else. If you approach this with integrity and lead with a passion for helping others and growing your mission, you will naturally build relationships that align with your vision. – Larry Brinker Jr., BRINKER
7. REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF BUILDING REAL FRIENDSHIPS OUTSIDE OF CAREERS.
Networking is a fancy business term for making friends! As you climb in your career, you’ll find as I did that there are often familiar faces at your events and conferences. Sense the energy of a person when you meet them, beyond how “important” or “useful” they may be to your career someday. Smart colleagues understand that you can rise faster together, supporting one another’s specific talents. – Cheryl Contee, The Impact Seat Foundation