Why Should I Network?

There are a lot of great phrases out there pertaining to networking, things like “Your network is your net worth” or “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” I love these and they couldn’t be truer in today’s world. Don’t get me wrong, you still have to be talented and work hard to get where you want to go, but without a strong network it will be tough. Having said that, building a network takes work.

One thing I always suggest to people is to put yourself out there. This could mean buying someone a cup of coffee to network, going to a networking event or a technical meetup, or it could even mean participating in LinkedIn professional discussions or professional forums. There are benefits to all of these and there are even many more ways to network, but it all revolves around reaching out and meeting new people.

Quick side note – If you are highly introverted and don’t like meeting new people, I highly suggest networking events. This forces you to get out of your comfort zone and get in front of others. You may not meet anyone new, but you will get uncomfortable and force yourself to grow. I have done this myself for years and it has helped me tremendously.

Remember, the entire reason you are reaching out is to build a network of people that can potentially benefit from your help, and that could potentially help you in the future as well. This doesn’t only work one way, and to build a network you can rely upon, you need to be willing to help other people and potentially make introductions for them.

I reach out to my existing network daily and I try to network with new people daily. This way I am constantly interacting and constantly building, BUT I am also constantly trying to help others and putting some good karma out into the world as well. It is time consuming, but I promise it is well worth it. I wouldn’t be where I am today without help from others, and without helping others, so try it.

The best time to start building your network is yesterday. Go buy someone a cup of coffee and learn something!