I sucked at networking about two years ago, and due to this, I had to suffer four years of ghosting and rejection. Thanks to random personal branding gurus, I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and started networking on LinkedIn.
Fast forward to today, this introvert has secured seven clients through networking while I was still learning new skills for career change.
Need more motivation?
79% of professionals believe that networking is the key to career success.
While stats might make it sound a bit overcomplicated, networking isn’t too difficult if approached correctly. The tips I share today will help you become a pro at networking for a career change and land better opportunities.
What is networking for career?
Connecting with people and building relationships for professional upskilling is networking for career. These connections can be your potential clients or employers, industry leaders, or fellow learners.
You approach them without greedy intentions and offer help when required. In return, they can offer you expert tips for navigating challenges in your career or refer you for a job role.
Networking also involves maintaining existing relationships. This is because when you stay in touch, people remember you. As a result, whenever they have a relevant opening, you’ll be the first to come to their mind.
Networking tips for a career change
The following networking tips helped me grow my career and I outline them the exact way I did.
If you still don’t have a LinkedIn account, create one right now. If you have an account but it’s not optimized, go do that first. Because without that, you’re gonna be invisible in people’s search results.
Once you’ve got an optimized LinkedIn profile, start searching for relevant people. These can be people doing the same thing in the same industry or employers or potential clients, whatever. Send them connection requests with a personalized note or message them once they accept your invite.
Your invitation note or direct message should be a mix of why you want to connect, what do you like about them, and your profession.
For example,
“Hi Sandra,
I’m a content marketer for B2C companies and your tips have helped me a lot in securing new clients. Would be a pleasure to connect with you here.”
Discord and Slack
I’ve found fellow learners, support groups, educational events, and a few gigs through Discord and Slack groups. I took advantage of the introduction and jobs/ gigs channels in my groups.
Most Discord and Slack groups have an introduction section to introduce you to everyone else. From there you can continue to network with others on relevant channels and even connect with them in DMs.
These groups are not even time demanding, you can respond to messages throughout the day. Sharing your progress and responding to others will build your credibility and who knows you attract a couple of clients too.
You can take your relationship further by inviting your new friends to a virtual meetup through Discord calls, Slack huddles, or even a third-party platform.
Connect with colleagues
Your co-workers, and college/ university fellows can relate with you the most. These people have a lot in common with you, but all of them are up to something outside work/ college.
Make friends with them and hop on a quick conversation to know a little about them.
You never know who has a suitable opportunity for you, who wants to join in your mission, or who even needs help with their own project.
Also, these people are likely to react to your LinkedIn posts which will increase your reach to a wider audience. So, connecting with your colleagues is never a bad option.
Show your progress
How are people gonna know about your career change when you don’t show them your progress?
Showing your progress online attracts a global population and builds your credibility. It can also inspire others on a similar journey and as a result, they care to share your work with their network.
But how do you do that?
Start posting on LinkedIn about what you do, your weekly learning, and anything else you think offers value to others.
I’ve listed 103 LinkedIn post ideas with examples to get you started with your LinkedIn content journey.
Attend events
Look out for industry events happening near you or online. These events are a source of information and networking opportunities at once.
You can easily find events on Eventbrite and Whova, and some of them are free too.
Try to connect with other attendees during the event and take part as much as you can. This attracts others to become your social media friends and also showcase your expertise.
When you repeatedly introduce yourself to others, you get a stronger idea about your goals and desires. And since goals and desires play a big role in making or breaking your behavioral interviews, these events will prepare you for it.
FAQs
How to network for a career change?
You can connect with your colleagues, use social media, and attend events to network for a career change.
Will networking get me a job?
Networking increases your chances of getting a job by building your credibility and showing your expertise to a wider audience.
How to turn networking into a job?
You can turn networking into a job by connecting with relevant people, offering free value to others and investing in upskilling.
Does LinkedIn networking work?
LinkedIn networking does work. It can get clients and employers to slide right into your DMs. You can also monetize your LinkedIn network through affiliate marketing once you’re confident in your offerings.
Last words
If you think you’re an introvert and networking isn’t for you, you’re mistaken. Networking is the only way to speak about your accomplishments and build credibility in this highly competitive market.
And if you’re still unsure, hit me up on LinkedIn and I’ll engage on your posts.