Career Benefits of Networking - The Muse

Career Benefits of Networking - The MuseCareer Benefits of NetworkingHow many times have you been told how important networking is? Plenty, Im sure. So, at this point, you know that who you know can be the difference between you getting that new gig or not.But, if thats not motivation enough for you to go out and meet new people, here are four more ways networking can help you, beyond just growing your network in preparation for you next big career opportunity.1. Gather Info on the IndustryWhether youre changing industries or furthering your knowledge of your current one, networking and conducting informational interviews are a great way to figure out whats going on in your field of interest.Ask people you meet or sit down with about their recent challenges and accomplishments or about trends theyre seeing in their work. In particular, if something big has recently happened in your industry, see what your conversation lebensgefhrte thinks of the impact it might have on the field as a whole. Youll get a much broader perspective if you expand the conversation beyond your own friends and officemates.2. Learn From the Wins (and Mistakes) of OthersSometimes it can be difficult to get people talking, even if youre meeting one-on-one and not at some large awkward networking event. If this is happening to you, try asking the person youre networking with about his or her successes and failures. Of course, you dont want to say, Tell me about a time you failed- so try asking if, looking back on his career, if theres anything he would do differently, or if theres anything she would definitely recommend to people just starting out in the field.Dont feel weird asking about personal experiences. Theres plenty to be learned from the achievements and mistakes of others, and people love to talk about themselves.3. Get Free Career AdviceAnother bonus of networking is the chance to get some free career advice. Chatting with more experienced professionals in your industry of intere st gives you the chance to ask them what they think of the career moves youve been mulling over.Aside from getting good advice (heres how to know if its not), its also a great way to show people your admiration. You wouldnt be asking for advice if you didnt respect their opinions, right?4. Bounce Ideas Off PeopleYou can also take the advice seeking a step further and bounce ideas off of people you meet through networking. Maybe you have an ambitious work-related project that you want to pitch to your boss or a presentation youre thinking about submitting to an upcoming conference. Seeing what other industry professionals have to say can help you refine your argument and think through weak points. This is also a great way to show off your skills a bit. Sharing some of your ideas gives you an opportunity to talk about your expertise and the issues that you care about. Its usually easier to talk about your ideas than it is to talk about yourself, so if you feel weird tooting your own h orn, this can be a good strategy.Bottom line Theres no excuse to not be networking. You stand to benefit from it no matter what stage of your career youre in. And, if none of these four reasons appeal to you, consider this final perk of networking helping people. Maybe you wont directly benefit this time around, but helping someone else out has its own intrinsic value.Photo courtesy of Nana B Agyei.