Are you looking for a job or do you want a more attractive professional opportunity? Discover 7 networking strategies for professionals to expand your network of contacts and attract the right opportunities.

Almost everyone knows someone who had access to a job opening, was part of an innovative professional project, discovered a tax benefit or managed to form a partnership through a connection. Knowing the right person can open the door to many opportunities and be useful in any sphere of your life..

According to a 2020 North American study, 31% of candidates find opportunities through professional connections, getting references for a job.

Hence the importance of the networking concept, which is closely linked to the network of contacts that are established. It is a strategy that you must familiarize yourself with if you intend to apply it.

What is networking for professionals, what is it for, what are its advantages and how to use it, are some of the questions we answer in this article.

What is Networking and what is it for?

Networking is an English term that can be translated as contact network or business network. In practice, it is the way in which connections and relationships are expanded and reinforced, with a view to exchanging benefits.

The objective of networking for professionals is to build a support system, whether with clients, co-workers or other partners, where you can seek career opportunities.

Networking can be as simple as exchanging an interesting idea during a work break, handing out your business card during a conference, or sending a follow-up message to a partner or client.

Part of quick and simple actions that make all the difference when you want to discover the best job offers, hire qualified professionals, find investors or attract clients.

It is important to bear in mind that, just as all relationships involve reciprocity and mutual investment, the same goes for networking for professionals. Adding value to your contacts is also a way of practicing it, as well as being recommended if the objective is to strengthen ties.

Advantages of Networking for each profile

Professionals

The exchange of information, tips and experiences between professionals makes it possible to boost the careers of those who are starting out professionally or looking for a new opportunity. It is possible to benefit from actions from acquaintances and colleagues, such as:

• Recommendation for jobs;
• Clarification of doubts;
• Access to better opportunities and job vacancies;
• Contact with different and interesting people;
• Stand out in front of colleagues and partners in the area, as well as managers and recruiters;
• It helps in building a good reputation in the market.

Collaborators

For those in the market, networking encourages professional development, through the sharing of useful knowledge. For example, a manager can use their network of contacts to learn more about leadership, organizational climate and the importance of keeping the team motivated.

Furthermore, through networking, professionals are able to gain recognition and authority in their area of expertise. This is one of the most important differences when achieve new positions or be recruited by a new company.

7 Networking Strategies for Professionals

Although it's a simple practice, it's easy to forget how small gestures make all the difference, and insist on staying in your comfort zone. Some tips for developing our contact networks include:

1. Convey the right image

Paying attention to the speech and content of the content shared, in essence, taking special care with the image that is transmitted to the public, is to invest in personal branding.

The information you pass on to the outside influences, more than you believe, the relationships you build and the opportunities you are given.

2. Add value

The first step to networking for professionals is show interest on another person. It could be offering help to a colleague who has just started working at the company or to an undecided client. It could be showing interest in a project someone is developing, or making a comment on an interesting post from a contact.

Practice these gestures – without expecting anything in return! – reveals sincerity and strengthens professional relationships, and the people who contact you will leave a good impression.

3. Be accessible and sincere

Finding contacts depends mainly on initiative. Waiting for others to take the first step may not be the most productive attitude. But nowadays the task is made easier with the social media. These platforms make it easy to discover new connections in the area of interest, and provide tools to share content and keep your network updated.

Whatever approach you use, offline or online, it’s important to be authentic. Nobody appreciates people who are only interested in “selling their fish” or obtaining some advantage. Remember if: networking is sharing!

4. Set goals and put together a plan

Reflecting on the purpose behind the networking strategy allows measure the results achieved. The objectives must be concrete, for example: to learn more about the area of activity, obtain recommendations for professional development courses and training, or find new clients.

Once the objectives have been defined, it is time to plan the next steps to be taken. It's a good idea to use some type of digital calendar or Excel spreadsheet to create a networking calendar, with actions to be carried out and deadlines to be met, such as participating in events, attending happy hours or publishing content.

5. Show visibility

To participate in fairs, conferences, congresses, meetups, courses, and other events within the area of interest, are great ways to meet new professionals and expand your network of relationships. A tip: come with your business card or another way to share your contact details.

Also the online presence It should be a bet if the objective is to be visible to your contacts and not be forgotten. Keeping the network informed and updated, by sharing ideas, articles or even self-authored content, creates engagement and captivates followers.

6. Cultivate the network

What to do to maintain good relationships?

It doesn't matter how many people you know or the number of contacts you have on social media. If you don't know how to cultivate these connections, you are networking for professionals inefficiently.

Some important tips: use social networks and email frequently, be cordial, act with integrity, offer help, return the messages we receive, and convey credibility abroad. In the background, maintain frequent contact.

7. Map the right people

Who is the target Audience What do you want to achieve? What are you doing? What are your needs and how can you help? These are some of the questions you must answer in order to adapt the message and content strategy.

Finally, it is always good to take into account the search for new and diverse contacts. You never know where the next opportunity might be.

The next step: attend networking events for professionals

If you are looking for the perfect event to test your networking skills and capture new opportunities, discover the Employment Exchange job fairs.

These events promote networking for tourism professionals, through direct contact between candidates and recruiters, announcing exclusive vacancies and organizing job interviews throughout the fairs.

Find out the locations and dates of upcoming job fairs and register for the event whatever works best for your schedule.