Everyone claims that networking is important. Ask your teacher, mentor, or boss and they will more than likely agree! Networking isn’t just beneficial in developing a career or enhancing your professional life but can also play a positive role in your life as a whole.
Let’s break down 3 of the main reasons why networking is the key to success:
1. Networking will increase your confidence: Although networking can be daunting, it allows you to practice your communication skills in multiple professional settings. Your ability to talk about your career, business, and yourself on the fly will become second nature and therefore, networking will no longer be intimidating but instead a professional development pursuit! Your comfort level will showcase your confidence – making you more approachable and taken more seriously.
2. Networking will help in building relationships: Whether it be professional relationships or solid friendships, networking is surely the key to achieving both! Widening your circle of influences is beneficial in career growth as well as self-growth. With each person you meet, you will learn something new and this will enhance your skills. Another perk to meeting like-minded individuals or influences are the unknown opportunities it will bring in the future. Just be ready to open the door when opportunity does come knocking!
3. Networking will further your industry knowledge: You may be a professional in your field but that doesn’t mean you know all of the “know-hows” in your industry. Just like everything, industries change and there’s always something new to learn. Networking allows you to interact with those who are in similar careers and filled with knowledge you may not already be aware of. Professional advice and assistance can be found at networking events, along with real life experiences and explanations to prove that certain tips and tricks have worked for them and may work for your business as well. The more you know about your industry, the better!
Networking is truly the key to succeeding in your career and bettering yourself as a professional. We can promise you that networking will boost your confidence, widen your professional circle, and further your skills! Although we chose to emphasize 3 specific reasons, there is definitely a never ending list on why you should invest more time in to networking.