You may be one of those people that absolutely hates networking and we wouldn’t blame you because networking is not the easiest thing to do and it’s not the most friendly thing to do if you are a shy or introverted person.
If you’ve ever worried about having to put your name out there, but you know that you need to get out there, networking is the way to do that. Whether you are networking because it’s part of earning some mentorships or resources for your masters degree, or your networking to grow your business, networking is important regardless.
If you’ve been on the fence about heading to some networking events, take a look at our reasons as to why networking is so important so that you don’t have to be left behind.
1. You can build up your reputation when you network.
When you are around people in a specific industry that you’re looking to break into, you’ll find that your reputation is easier to build because people understand who you are.
Networking helps you to establish yourself in front of the right people, and building a solid reputation can help you to attract far more career opportunities than you’ve ever been used to before. Business partnerships, job offers, they can all come flooding in when you are building a reputation in your network.
2. You stand out.
When you regularly attend networking events, you’re more likely to stand out and get noticed. The whole point of networking is to get noticed by the right people, so if you are being picked out from the crowd by the people you want picking you out, then you’re doing the right thing and you’re doing it well.
Whether you are a business owner or you’re looking for a new job, raising your profile is going to open the doors and help you to get a foot through them.
3. You can strengthen your existing support network.
One of the main reasons that networking is such an exciting thing to do is because it allows you to build a strong support network of people in the industry. They’re not just people who can give you a leg up, but people who can mentor you and who can give you advice on how you can go forward.
If you’ve just been fired, for example, you can lean on your new connections to help you to move into a new company.
4. You could grow your business.
If you’re currently self-employed, you might find that networking can help you to facilitate business growth. This is not something you should miss out on if you can help it, because you need to increase awareness of your business and expand your customer base at the same time.
With the right networking connections, you can ensure that you are in front.
