No matter what your line of work, networking is one of the most important and beneficial things you can do. A network is a list of professional and personal contacts that you can build to help further your career. These contacts can range from co-workers to family members, from professors and students to clients and customers.
You can make contacts anywhere – and, in doing so, greatly enhance your career and your potential for professional success. While there are many ways to improve your networking list, some are more obvious than others. You can easily build up a network just by befriending co-workers and others in your professional field. However, there are other ways to network that you may not have considered. Here are some relatively little-known methods of making business contacts.
Meeting people at flexible and serviced offices
Modern workspaces are often designed with networking in mind. Flexible workspaces, which are shared workspaces used by a variety of workers or companies, provide you with a great way to network. Popular with freelancers and entrepreneurs, flexible workspaces are not only cheaper alternatives to traditional office spaces, they are also ideal for making business contacts.
When working alongside numerous different people working on multiple projects, you’ll almost certainly meet new people – allowing you to collaborate, discover potential clients and build a network with ease. In addition, more and more modern offices are being built with functions that make it easier to build relationships with co-workers.
For example, you can find serviced offices that include shared dining spaces and onsite gyms, which make it easier for you to converse with your fellow worker. Many of these offices also feature networking sessions designed specifically to help you build your contact list.
Head online
There’s something for everyone on the internet. Whatever your interests, you’ll find people who share them. Social media has made it easier than ever to find like-minded people, and this goes for business contacts as well.
Using sites like LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook is a great way to make contacts. What’s more, websites like Meetup have made it easier than ever for people to connect with others in their local area. So, using these sites can be an ideal way for you to make personal and professional contacts without leaving your home.
Volunteering
Volunteering for local events can be a great way to get your name out there. Whether by selling raffle tickets or giving your time to a charity, volunteering gives you experience in a particular industry. It’s also a great excuse to talk to people about what you do for work. Through volunteering, you can form new relationships and boost your profile.
The key takeaway is that networking doesn’t have to be exclusive to your workplace or done at specific events. Everyday life will present you with dozens of ways to network – and, with the right attitude, you can have a significant list of business contacts in next to no time.