Is networking even important?
The short answer is yes. Networking is an effective way to gain connection, find jobs and make friends. In this article, I will be telling you about all the advantages of networking and why you should be doing more of it.
It couldn't be easier...
You can easily network on social media platforms you use in your everyday life – Instagram, Twitter, so while you’re scrolling through memes and Reels, you can get the valuable experience of networking too.
I would say the best social media platform to begin your networking journey on is LinkedIn. Your first step is to create your account, or if you already have one, improve it. There is always room for improvement, and you should get inspiration from others’ profiles. Ensure you have a professional-looking profile picture and a title that will grab peoples’ attention. This should state whether you are a student (and where), and/or whether you are employed (and where). This can be the deciding factor on whether someone decides to connect with you. Next, write an appealing description of yourself in the ‘About’ section. This should consist of an overview of yourself: your skills, ambitions, personal and academic achievements and aspirations. It should be no longer than a few lines, maximum one paragraph.
Better Connected
Now for the networking aspect – CONNECT, CONNECT, CONNECT! At first I was sceptical about connecting with people on LinkedIn, considering most people usually have a lot of information about themselves on their profile, but trust me, it helps. Personally, I connect to people who have similar interests to me, have studied something similar to me, or work in a similar field to me. It’s also important to try and connect with those who work in fields you may have an interest in working in. Undoubtedly, you could look for a job in the designated ‘Jobs’ section on the website, but employers or hiring teams could also reach out to you, given your profile and experience is all inputted onto your profile. You never know, you might be able to bag a job (like I did!).
Attending Events
In all honesty, I haven’t been networking for that long, but in the events that I have attended, I have gained a lot of benefits. Make sure you keep an eye on any upcoming events run by organisations you are interested in. Some of my personal favourites are UKAP (UK Albanian Professionals), Illyrian Brains, Chatham House and, of course, ALSA. A lot of the time, these organisations host panel events followed by networking, which can prove very useful.
TOP TIP: Don’t be shy!
Put yourself out there and don’t be afraid to go up to people. That’s the whole point of a networking event – you never know who you may meet and become acquainted with. If anyone has read my previous article, ‘A Storm in the Western Balkans’, you would see that I actually met the PM of Kosovë, Albin Kurti. Crazy isn’t it?
Naturally, most of us have education and/or work to focus on, but finding that time to attend a networking event in the evening could be extremely advantageous to both those things. Most organisations post upcoming events on their social media, which most of us are checking on a daily basis anyway. So take those extra few minutes to work on your LinkedIn profile you will begin to see the improvement on your network, both virtually and in person.
P.S. I’m not an expert but feel free to go take a look at my LinkedIn for inspiration
Feel free to drop me a message if you have any questions or comments.
Heidi Mustafa
Comments