What is networking?

Networking is a process of building, maintaining and creating professional connections and relationships with individuals and organizations. It helps an individual expand his/her knowledge as well as job and business opportunities and connectisons. 

In this day and age, you don’t need to attend conventions or seminars personally. You can simply network and connect via online or social media. But if networking is still something you are not keen to do, here are some of the reasons why networking matters whether you are a fresh graduate or a seasoned professional. 

1. Access to hidden job market

Not all jobs are being advertised online. Some of the best and most suitable job ads are being circulated through word of mouth within professionals and individuals. With networking, you can have access to these hidden job opportunities or exclusive job openings. Plus, you can increase your changes of getting hired right away with the right network as they can be a great source of referral as well. 

2. Opportunity for professional development

Another great benefits of networking is the opportunity to learn from others in your field and stay updated on current industry trends. You can also gain valuable insights that can further advance your career. You will have access to conferences, workshops, and seminars to help you grow professionally. 

3. Connect with experts and possible mentors

With networking, you will have the opportunity to find mentors or experts that can help you guide in your career. By having a mentor, you will get sound advice to help you make informed decisions on every aspect of your career or life.  

4. Helps you create a personal brand

One of the great benefits of networking is the opportunity to help you establish your own brand. With networking, you can have a positive professional reputation as you engage with other professionals in your industry. And with this, you can be known for your expertise making it easy for you to land to great job opportunities. 

5. Access to resources

With the help of networking, you can have access to resources such as job leads, recommendations, and referrals. In return, you can also do the same to your co-network professionals. With networking, there are right people who can help and support you in your job search and career. 

These are just some of the important benefits that you can get from networking. Whether you are a fresh graduate or a seasoned professional looking for a great opportunity, networking is really a great way to advance in your career. 

But how do you start networking?

Where do you start?

Here are some of the strategic approahes to make sure that you’ll be successful in networking with other propfessionals and companies. 

Strategic ways on how to network

1. Set your goals

If you are a fresh graduate or job seeker, one of the main reasons why you need to network is to find the best job and career. But that is not enough. You need to know the type of job you want to work in. What industries you want to be a part of? It is important to itemized or put into details all the things or goals you want to accomplish to make sure you network on the right people and organization. 

2. Optimize your online presence

Before starting to connect with individuals or organization, it is important to prepare yourself first. The first thing you need to do is to update and optimize your social media presence. Start with creating or updating your LinkedIn profile. Update your account with details such as your contact information, educational background, employment history, and portfolio. You also need to join relevant groups as well as follow companies and individuals that are related to your field of interest. With this, you can widen your connection and expose yourself with the right people and companies. 

3. Don’t miss out on local networking events

Another great way to boost your career and find the right job is by attending networking events, conferences, and workshops. These events are excellent opportunities to meet experts and professionals in your field. You may also connect with the host or organizers of the event so you can have access to other networking events. 

4. Join communities and organizations

Joining local organizations can be a game-changer in your career. These organizations often launch and host networking events and conferences that provide valuable resources. You can also join groups or communities online. Just make sure to be active in these communities as networking should be mutual and entails cultivating mutual relationships. 

5. Try to interview

As you network with professionals, try to reach out to them and inform them of your interest of getting to know them better. Interviews or conversations with professionals and experts can provide you insights into local job marketing and possible job openings. 

6. Attend and volunteer on workshops

Workshops are a great way to meet professionals and experts that you can network with. So don’t be shy to attend or offer some volunteer work on some workshops, seminars, or conferences that may go your way. You might meet people here that can help you land a potential job opportunity. 

7. Be consistent 

Networking is not a one time thing. You need to regularly engage with your network whether online or offline. You also need to share what you know and establish yourself as a valuable resource to them. 

Want to start your network in Clark?

Clark Freeport Zone is an economic powerhouse that houses the best IT and digital as well as industrial and manufacturing companies in Central Luzon. International businesses from United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, and many more, are now in Clark doing business and looking for talents and resource. 

So if you want to land a job in Clark, and want to network with managers and business owners, here are the things that you need to do. 

1. Join the business market

Start searching for companies in Clark and look for managers or recruiters of the company. Start connecting with them on LinkedIn.

2. Attend Clark Job Fairs

Make sure to keep an eye on job fairs and job events in Clark. These events are a great avenue to network with employers, managers, and recruiters that can widen your reach to potential job or career. 

3. Connect with alumni network

Reach out to your local university or colleges and try to connect with their alumni association. You can also search some of them on LinkedIn. Alumni often have strong ties with companies and organization that can help you land a great career. 

4. Connect with recruiters

There are a lot of recruiters working on Clark. Take this opportunity to connect with them to widen your network. You also need to attend job fairs so you can meet and connect with them personally. Remember that reaching out to recruiters can help you increase your chances of getting a job. 

Whilst networking can be a great opportunity to land you a great job and career, there are still things that you need to follow. Remember that networking is not just about making connections, but it is also about building and maintaining relationship. And there is networking etiquette that you need to be familiar with. So here are some of them:

1. Just be yourself. Networking or meeting professionals for the first time can be intimidating. But you don’t have to pretend. Just be authentic and genuine and everything will fall into place. 
2. Listen actively especially when engaging in conversations. Listening actively to others show a genuine interest on your end. 
3. Don’t forget to follow up after making a connection. You can send a simple thank you email or message after you’ve network with them. 
4. Remember that networking is a two-way street so offer assistance or expertise whenever possible.
5. Respect privacy and boundaries so don’t push too hard for information or favors. 

Networking is a vital component of your career. Hope that by following the above tips and strategies, you can be successful in networking. But if you need more help when it comes to boosting your career, make sure to subscribe to our website for more career and job search tips.