The Importance of Networking for Career Development & Job Search (+ How to Do It Well)

Marketing and Sales professionals know that it is critical to network with their clients, colleagues, and potential customers. They build relationships, learn about each others' business needs, discover new ways to work together or drive revenue for the company. However, this process has become increasingly challenging for many businesses due to time pressures, globalisation, and cultural factors. However, despite these challenges, and excellently networked organisation can still win more business than its competitors and achieve better results in the longer term. But how do you go about networking well as a European?

The importance of networking for career development

Career development is one of the most critical factors that any professional needs to consider. Companies need to invest in training to train their existing employees and attract and hire new ones. With the shift towards a more technological culture, networking has become an effective tool for career development for professionals who have been laid off.

At such times people make use of their connections within their field and create opportunities with new employers. This trend has also led other businesses to focus on career development to offer more job security and retain talent. A recent survey showed that over 50% of managers think having an active network makes up almost one-third of career success. Networking is a good way of developing one's career as it helps to see where there are openings and helps get employment.

Employees who use their networks have greater chances of finding new jobs than those who don't, which has also led other businesses to invest more into the development of their teams.

Research shows that companies with well-developed networking habits do better than others in terms of business success. This is because they build networks that help them gain access to new opportunities and get ahead in competitive markets while still remaining connected even after leaving the organisation.

It can be termed as alumni relations, whereby a company will continue impacting its members beyond employment (Cui & Gao, 2014).

The importance of networking in the workplace

In today's business world, having connections is the key to success as it allows access to a network of resources and opportunities that will benefit you and your career.  Networking ensures the development of one's career and ensures that companies remain competitive within their markets while helping employees achieve their best productivity levels. Networking has become an essential part of many businesses as it helps them secure job candidates with the right qualifications for specific positions without necessarily spending on recruitment costs (Yu & Palvia, 2008).

When discussing developing a good network, professionals need to establish contacts who can help them secure employment by providing a valuable reference letter or simply writing an introduction letter. This gives people a better chance of achieving their career goals while also ensuring that they can secure employment with ease at any given time. This is why professionals need to have an active network even when employed, as it helps them prepare for both good and bad times in terms of business growth or reduction (LeMay & Ferris, 2011).

It makes sure that a company can recover from such circumstances by securing new opportunities with other potential businesses and clients, leading to better productivity within the organisation despite any external factors that could be detrimental to its growth.

The importance of networking in the job search

The job market is constantly changing, which means that the qualifications required for different positions will also change. Employers focus more on hiring individuals who have experience and hold a wide range of skills than those with higher degrees or certificates.

It has been found that most companies are looking for people with practical knowledge, so if you do not have any certification, it does not mean you cannot find employment (Li & Wang, 2008). As such, developing your network will help secure a better position because professionals can easily find openings within their networks while assisting employers in understanding how competent they are to deliver results. When conducting a job search, professionals need to use social media to reach out to their colleagues to enhance their chances of securing employment.

This social media platform will allow a person to be more visible and raise the likelihood of getting employment. Employers are now open to hiring employees who have not undergone official training or are highly educated (Zhang & Ni, 2010). Employers research job applicants through online platforms, so professionals must make online profiles complete with updated information highlighting their skills. Potential employers can also use this social networking site to look for candidates from different companies and other sectors. It eliminates the need for people to seek out the help of recruitment agencies as they can easily find openings within their networks (Li & Wang, 2008).

Geographical boundaries do not limit networking; hence, professionals should access opportunities regardless of where they live or work.  For instance, people who are settled in an area with no job opportunities should get employment from their existing contacts. In the end, networking is vital as it helps people secure employment while ensuring the competitiveness of any given business within its industry (LeMay & Ferris, 2011).

Tips to Improve your Networking Skills:

1) Finding common ground with your counterparts overseas - Networking across continents can be especially difficult and highly rewarding. You might find that the way you introduce yourself is different to someone from America or Asia. Simple things like professional titles, for example, can create small barriers which are very easy to overcome but also be surprising and exciting if you think about it. It is helpful to find out how people in other countries network - checking their company websites will often give you a good idea of what they do and how they prefer to network.

2) Understanding cultural differences between your country and another - As Europeans, we have inherited specific values from our forefathers over time. For centuries great artists have shaped our perspective on life, love and happiness. In contrast, philosophers have influenced our living philosophies and ruled over political structures that affect us today. However, when talking to foreigners, you will quickly discover that everyone has a different perspective on the same rules. So take some time to understand their rules and try to be aware of them when networking with people from other countries. The effort is worth it, as you will get better results from your network if you do!

3) Making use of your peers - Since we all are connected through social media and have established communities online, why not use what you already have? We can be more effective when engaging in discussions across borders than starting everything from scratch. Your fellow professionals might share the same interests, cultures, or languages, so don't be afraid to join your local community organisations to increase your chances of successful networking both and offline. Of course, you can also join the global business network LinkedIn and find peers in other countries who share your passions and interests to network with them more easily.

4) Providing accurate information about your organisation - It is not much use if your international contact can't get hold of important information regarding how they should expect to work with you. Ensure that all the relevant parts of your website, especially those dealing with sales or marketing, have a version available in the language(s) you are targeting. Also, remember to provide this whenever someone gets in touch with you through social media or emails. This will aid their research about your business and make it easier for them to decide what relationship they want to build with you.

5) Being confident - It is imperative to be sure of what you are trying to achieve—in this case, establishing a mutually beneficial network with people who can help your company. When speaking to new contacts, you mustn't let them feel like they have the upper hand. You might think it's normal for someone from Sweden or France to go first when introducing themselves. Still, not everyone operates according to our cultural rules, mainly with Europeans across borders! Instead, please make an effort to understand their business model so that you'll be able to link their goals into yours successfully when it's your turn. Be open-minded about learning more about them and understanding the type they seek in your network. Even if they don't speak your language, try to talk about subjects you agree on and avoid discussions that might lead to conflict!

6) Just be yourself - Don't worry too much about what others think of you, and always remember that it is not beneficial for anyone when you are a fake person from the beginning. Networking works so well because people like doing business with other people who share their passions and interests, so always stay honest with them as this will help build more trust between you and ensure mutual gain in the long run. All these things will eventually help you develop a better reputation within your industry or community, making yourself more visible to people looking for potential contacts while also ensuring that you can network better with more people in the future!

Final Thoughts

To establish a successful, mutually beneficial business network, you need to make yourself available and approachable. You also have to make yourself easily recognisable by providing information about your organisation in the languages that you are targeting, as well as gain an understanding of your peers' living standards, cultures and habits. When contacting someone from another country or region, avoid the risk of offending them by adhering closely to your cultural norms when networking! It is also essential that you come across as friendly, open-minded and honest, so they feel comfortable sharing their interests with you even if it is not related to what you do.

If this article has convinced you that improving your networking skills could be useful for getting ahead in business, check out the additional pieces in this series!