How to Grow Your Professional Network

Professional networking: Everyone knows you have to do it, but not everyone knows the best ways to go about the task. Building a network of professional connections can be an important goal in itself, but you should have some larger objectives in mind. For many individuals, a robust professional network is a means to finding work.

Whether you're just beginning your career journey or are looking to make a change, developing your network is a good place to start.

No wrong way to network

One reason you may struggle to start building a useful network of professionals is because there's no one right way to do it. Social media sites such as LinkedIn are a great way to connect with professionals outside of your current geographic location - but they are not the only way to find people. Joining a local networking group can be a rewarding way to speak with other professionals in your area. You may even bump into someone interesting at the grocery store.

In essence, there's no wrong way to network, but it helps to vary your methods and cast a wide net.