Networking Matters: Tips for Networking With Purpose

Wake Forest School of Professional Studies has partnered with Career Maven Tiffany Tate to offer SPS students relevant career resources. As Founder of Career Maven, Tiffany works with clients to demystify the job search process while also partnering with organizations to reimagine the future of work.

Regardless of your career or life stage, networking on and off line is critical for success. In fact, studies have shown that up to 80% of jobs are found through networking. As a career and professional development coach, I often hear from working professionals who are interested in networking strategies, but aren’t sure where to start. 

In this blog post, I’ll provide some key points to consider and steps to take when it comes to networking with intention and ease.

 What to Think About Before You Start Networking

First , it’s important to consider a few key points to help you prepare for the variety of contexts and conversations ahead:

1. Know your goals: What are your career goals, and how can networking help you achieve them?
2. Identify your target audience: Who are the people you need to connect with to achieve your goals? This could include people in your industry, potential employers, or mentors.
3. Consider your value proposition: What can you offer to those you’re connecting with? This could include your skills, expertise, or unique perspective.

Steps for Getting Started

Once you’ve considered your why and who you are most interested in connecting with, it’s time to take action. 

1. Tap your existing network: Start by reaching out to people you already know, such as former colleagues, classmates, or friends in your industry. Use LinkedIn to find and connect with people who could be valuable connections.
2. Attend networking events: Look for networking events in your industry or community, and attend them regularly. This will give you the opportunity to meet new people and build your network. These events can be in person or virtual, depending on the organization or industry of interest.
3. Follow up: After meeting someone new, be sure to follow up with them. Send a personalized message or email to thank them for their time and express your interest in staying connected.
4. Stay active on social media: Social media platforms like LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter)  can be great tools for networking. Share relevant content, engage with others in your industry, and build relationships online.
5. Give back: Networking isn’t just about what you can get from others – it’s also about what you can give. Offer to help others in your network, share your knowledge and expertise, and be a valuable resource to those around you.

Sourcing New Contacts to Achieve a Professional Goal

Networking conversations are opportunities  to learn more about an industry, role, or topic of interest.Let’s say your goal is to pivot from marketing into product management. You’ve decided that your target audience is product managers in a certain industry. You’ve also honed in on your value proposition which is that you have strong analytical and project management skills and are passionate about creating products to solve customer problems. 

Here is a strategic approach to try as you think about audiences you can learn from, and how to leverage networking conversations to grow your knowledge base in the industry vertical while also meeting new people:

• Reach out to product managers at companies you’re interested in to learn more about their roles and how they got there.
• Ask contacts in your current network if they have friends, colleagues, or clients who might be interested in talking to you about their career experience and advice. 
• Attend networking events hosted by product management associations to meet new people and build your network.
• Follow up with new connections to express your interest in product management and ask for their advice on transitioning.
• Share articles or resources on LinkedIn that demonstrate my interest in product management and highlight relevant skills or insight related to the field.

Talking Points to Spark a Network Connection

Reaching out to new people can be a bit daunting if it is new to you, or if you’re making an industry pivot. One thing to consider is cultivating clarity about why you want to talk to the new people you plan to meet, and curating a short list of questions to guide the conversation ahead of time. 

In addition to a few targeted questions, you may also want to think about the goals you’ve set for yourself and practice talking about them — as well as other things you’re passionate about. Some examples of conversation items to consider include:

• What excites you about product management in a particular field.
• What experience (person, place, or project) sparked your interest in making a career pivot?
• Outside of work, how do you spend your free time – and why?
• What resources or communities do they invest in to stay on top of industry trends?
• What would they do differently if they were starting fresh in their current role – and why?
• How might your new networking contact like to stay in touch (platform, frequency, etc) 

Networking can be a powerful tool for career success, but it requires effort and strategy. By considering your goals, identifying your target audience, and offering value to others, you can move away from simply collecting contacts to really cultivating relationships based on shared knowledge and interests for years to come.

Tiffany’s next webinar is “Standout: Navigate Interviews with Confidence” on Wednesday, November 15th at 12:00 pm ET. Students can register here.

You can also find Tiffany at Wake360. She will be facilitating the workshop “Networking Fundamentals.” Learn more about the upcoming event and register today.