Networking within Your Job
Image from Brooke Cagle
Networking is a word usually connected with recruiting for a job, but my hope is for you to come away from this article realizing networking is essential to succeed once you have the job too. Networking in the workplace may be more important for some professions rather than others, but regardless it will help you stand out amongst your peers and aid you in finding more fulfilling work within your corporation.
Networking in the workplace is imperative for three key reasons:
To aid you in engaging with work that is desirable and fulfilling
People talk, and you never know if the person whom you’ve taken the time to connect with will one day impact your career progression
Learning on the job isn’t solely about your work, but also about what your colleagues can teach you about the profession, their success/failures, and life in general
Finding fulfilling work
We’ve all had scenarios where we really wish we could work on something new and engaging but it seems like we must accept the job for what it is, rather than attempt to positively change it. Especially if you're new to the workforce, it’s hard to know what work you will find fulfilling as your experience is nominal, but networking can help here too. Think of networking like finding new music, sure you could listen to the same old stuff, but if you continue to network and explore you may find work/projects that are far more enjoyable than you anticipated.
In project-based professions, like consulting or investment banking, you either act or be acted upon. Within these professions, you will be placed on projects regardless of who you networked with, but to be placed on the projects you find fascinating and fulfilling, then you must connect with key personnel to make your interests known. Let’s say your projects usually last 4-6 weeks, but you’d rather work on a longer project where you can really learn the ins and outs and establish relationships with your colleagues. Unless you make those desires known to those in charge, then people will continue to maintain the status quo and place you on projects akin to the ones you’ve been on in the past.
As for other professions, where it may be less clear what other types of work/projects are out there, the only way to find out is through speaking with your peers about their responsibilities, or in other words - networking. Deep down, people love to help others out, so why not ask your peers or manager about working in areas which closely align with your own individual interests? It never hurts to ask.
Office politics
We love to think our company does not suffer from the plague of office politics, but I have yet to come across a workplace where office politics does not exist in some capacity. Office politics is the idea that your peers and upper management will converse outside formal communication channels about where the company is heading, who will be promoted, and how individuals are performing. Although office politics has a negative connotation, it is a natural process that keeps everyone informed on the details of the corporation.
You never know who will impact your development in your career from promotions to impactful work, so it’s important to make a (good) impression on those around you. Furthermore, taking the time to establish relationships with your colleagues will bolster your enjoyment of the role as sometimes jobs are less about the work and more about the people.
As the proverb states, “it’s not about what you know, but who you know”. You never know who will have an impact on what type of work you’ll do, how fast you will be promoted, or offer you a job in the future, thus networking will have many surprisingly positive impacts in the years to come.
Learning from others
The final reason networking is key to your success in the workplace is learning from your colleague’s advice.
From a professional lens, your colleagues who have been at the job for a few years longer than you have will have valuable perspectives to share regarding succeeding in your specific job at this company. For example, your manager or other higher-ups have most likely been in your shoes before, thus picking their brains on how they have found success in your line of work is free and valuable information; and, all you have to do is ask for it. Once you gather that valuable information on growing your skillset, then you should take the time to implement their feedback and relay to them that you are putting their words into action.
On the other hand, our colleagues have a lot to teach us about non-work-related topics too. For example, asking them how they balanced their professional aspirations and personal relationships is something I personally love to ask those around me. People have a lot to teach us in this world, so why not learn from their experiences via networking.
Putting principle into practice
If you’ve read this far, then you hopefully agree that networking is crucial to your success in the workplace, so how do you go about it?
In the workplace, networking is a bit easier since most people are eager to meet/help their colleagues. But before you send out 10 cold emails to top executives at your firm, let’s pump the brakes. Yes, people do want to help you, but it’s important to go about networking in an authentic way. For example, if you enjoyed someone’s presentation at a company town hall, it could be wise to send them an email thanking them and asking to grab 10-15 minutes with them to chat about some of your questions. Attempt to find the bridges that connect you to another individual.
Once you’ve set up some time with them, then ensure you come prepared with questions and an agenda. Yet, do not be discouraged if the conversation does not go quite according to plan, as this usually means you had a genuine conversation and explored topics of interest to both parties.
Following the meeting, I would actually discourage you from sending a thank you email, but rather a polite message on a less formal communication channel (e.g. Slack, Teams, etc.). If the meeting went well, and you established a personalized connection with the person, then I encourage you to continue to build that relationship. Checking in with them shows you truly value their insight and wish to continue to have their input in your life. As you continue to build connections, these individuals will be more inclined to introduce you to their own network; this is a classic snowball effect where your network will grow exponentially.
Networking is easier for some of us than it is for others, but regardless it’s a bit uncomfortable. Pushing yourself outside your comfort zone and getting to know those around you will make you mentally happier, professionally more fulfilled, and lead to many successes throughout your working career.
