Why Networking Is Important For Your Career
Do you know why networking is important for your career?
I usually start my posts and videos with the assumption that people know networking is essential.
But the more I talk to people, the more I realize that people actually don’t know.
So let’s talk about why networking is so darn important.
What Does “Networking” Even Mean?!
Most people know some basic reasons why networking is important.
But I’m learning that people tend to have a very narrow view of what professional networking actually is.
They tend to think of it as:
Something they do only when they’re looking for a new job
Meeting the people that have posted a job they want
Attending events within an organization or industry
Joining groups to get business referrals or job opportunities
Although my favorite is from a client who shared this about my course on LinkedIn:
“[Caroline] is doing an online networking course which is perfect for people like me who don't even really know what that word means, or don't feel they relate to it.“
It’s important to note that this person is 1) a really good networker, and 2) liked my career change course enough to recommend it to others. 😂
So what’s going on here?
The term “networking” has become either so specific or so vague that people assume it’s not for them.
But the benefits of networking go so far beyond the transactional approach most people take.
Why Networking Is Important For Your Career
Most people think about networking from a very transactional perspective —when you see something you want and want to get it faster.
Did you know networking is also the best way for career changers to:
Find new job opportunities that aren't posted
Have people create opportunities tailor-made for you
Attract opportunities even when you’re not looking
Uncover career opportunities you hadn’t even considered
Get clarity, especially if you're not 100% sure what you want
Evaluate opportunities before it’s too late. 🎶 Dun. Dun. Dun. 🎶
Networking is a GREAT way to try before you buy.
So many people jump into the interview process or agree to a deal before they really know whether it’s aligned with what they want.
It will save you so much time and anguish to actually get to know people before there’s any sort of deal on the table.
I cannot emphasize the importance of this enough.
Once the hiring process or signed agreement phase starts, there’s an urgency and "Pick me! Pick me!" vibe that takes hold that makes it virtually impossible to clearly evaluate whether it’s even a good option, let alone tailor it to your unique skillset.
People skip the networking-as-exploration part because they think it takes too long.
But they'd be a lot happier in their career moves if they spent this time up front.
Think of the time wasted realizing that a job or partnership is not the right fit once you're already in it.
A Strong Network Is a Powerful Source Of Ongoing Support
People often think of networking when they’re actively trying to get somewhere else.
But a strong network is a powerful source of ongoing support.
The purpose of networking isn’t to get a job; it’s to build a network that serves you beyond any single opportunity.
Imagine having a team of advocates, mentors, and role models who support and inspire you as to what’s possible.
Especially if you’re blazing a new trail, it’s so important to have people in your corner who are DOING THE THING.
And most people don’t think at all about networking as a tool to help you continue to thrive where you are.
Once you’re in your dream career, networking can help you:
Expand your visibility and impact
Get buy-in and support for a new idea
Spark ideas and collaborations
Generate partnerships and leads
Build bridges across disparate departments and organizations
Deepen your relationships with existing colleagues, partners, and clients
Imagine having a team of people around you that can advise on a challenge you’re having at work, help you approach an important convo—essentially trust that you can pick up the phone and have whatever support you need.
I call this a “Success Team.”
Most people don’t even have a network that can do this, much less consider leveraging it this way.
It’s so, so valuable. And for me, it’s great peace of mind, especially as a business owner, that I don’t need to have all the answers all the time.
These relationships are like compound interest or passive income.
As you make deposits by supporting them, people are also actively working in the background for you, sending you information on topics you care about, making introductions, maybe even creating opportunities.
Even if you’re happy where you are in your career, networking can pull you forward faster so your goals actually happen much more quickly, and maybe even send some things your way that you hadn’t even thought of.
My clients have opportunities coming their way all the time. Because they’re consistently talking about what they’re trying to create in their careers.
Wonder how people seem to effortlessly get promoted? Know about opportunities before everyone else? Have a trail of people that would follow them into fire?
It’s because they’re actively nurturing relationships: giving and receiving value, and being intentional about investing their energy in people as much as goals or deliverables. And it’s why networking is important!
Networking Is About Building Relationships
Networking is important for your career because relationships are important for your career.
Networking is so much more than trying to get your resumé to the top of the pile (I call this “navigating”) or having a bunch of conversations that don’t lead anywhere (I call this “having a bunch of conversations that don’t lead anywhere.” 😜)
Once you learn that every conversation is really a networking conversation—because it’s about connection—you’re going to realize the potential to transform your relationships.
I find it so interesting when people ask whether talking to people about what they want will be helpful for [insert their particular career goal].
I ask them: Are relationships important for your [insert your particular career goal]?! Are those relationships leading to the career opportunities you want?! Are you surrounded by people who encourage you to be at your best and pull it out of you? Do you have all the relationships you want and need?
Are you starting to understand why networking is one of the best investments of your time and energy wherever you are in your career?
Networking Is About Having Powerful Conversations
A big piece of networking is having powerful conversations.
You can have powerful conversations—and thus build powerful relationships—in the course of your normal day.
When you’re the person that asks the simple-but-essential questions like, “Remind me why we’re doing this again?” “What’s our REAL goal here?” “Is there a better way to do this?” “Is this still the right solution for right now?” you’ll start to notice people perk up when you speak.
When you ask for what you want, you’ll notice that people are (mostly) eager to help.
When you own your gifts and talk about yourself with clarity and confidence, people start to offer you opportunities that weren’t even on your radar.
When you’re up front with people that you haven’t fully figured out your career path, and that’s why you want to talk to them, you’ll notice these powerful conversations start to fill in the blanks.
When you say the thing out loud that’s been rattling around in your brain rather than holding back for fear of sounding dumb, and everyone in the room pipes up, “I’ve been wondering the same thing. That’s exactly how I’ve been feeling,” that’s powerful.
And it magnetizes the right people to you.
Building Relationships Is About Leadership
Like everything else in your career, building relationships is about leadership:
Showing up more powerfully and authentically in allll your conversations
Feeling confident talking about yourself and asking for what you want
Building a team of people who actively support you (and vice versa)
Getting better results in your career with more ease
And really just enjoying other humans
I hope you’re walking away with a much more expansive and relatable view of networking.
If you’re ready for more in your career, check out my 6-week career change course.
You’ll get clarity on what you want, what’s truly getting in the way, and how to turn your everyday conversations into REAL career opportunities.
Author Bio:
Before becoming a coach, Caroline had a successful career in management consulting and financial services. She's made it her mission to help people grow, contribute, and get wherever they want to go in their careers.
Caroline wants people to recognize how much power they truly have to define their careers. The life and career you want is truly possible once you have the roadmap. Take the first step by downloading her free 4-step career roadmap.
