We human beings, do a lot of things better when we are with like-minded people. A lot of learning and collaboration happen in a group, so it is important to be part of some group or network if you want to grow in your career. You learn from your peers, from your seniors, and sometimes from your juniors as well. The learning happens mutually. So, how do you connect with like-minded people and grow your professional network? Below are a few things that have helped me.
- Connect via social networks – One of the most popular professional networking apps is LinkedIn. You will find all kinds of professionals there, and it is pretty easy to connect with people there.
- Being part of Professional Groups – I am a process coach and work with an IT multinational. I am part of many process-related groups, mostly on Telegram and WhatsApp. I connected to these networks through some friends or colleagues who were already part of these groups. These groups provide opportunities to learn and share your knowledge with others.
- Attending Meetups – I find this way most effective, especially in-person meetups. I have met a lot of people in these meetups and have connected with talented professionals. This gives a different level of engagement. I always recommend going to in-person meetups, especially after COVID, as it gives an opportunity to meet a variety of professionals and learn.
- Be in touch with Ex-Colleagues – I am in a profession where changing jobs and companies is quite common. You join a company, join a team, work with them for a long time, and then leave; then there is no connection. I think being in touch with old colleagues is a good way to keep your professional network strong. These are the people you have worked with for a long time, shared good memories, and know each other much better than people you are connecting with on networking apps. So, keep the connection intact.
In summary, understand that we humans need a social environment to learn and grow. Though a few things we can learn individually, some skills really need to be practiced in groups. You can make your professional network strong by connecting with people via networking apps, going to meetups/seminars/webinars, and keeping in touch with old colleagues. It is not just connecting but learning from each other’s experiences.
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