Building a professional network: 5 ways to make connections

What is a professional network?

Professional networks are a kind of community of several people who are connected to each other in everyday working life. This connection can result from joint projects, employment with the same employer, or overlapping interests. Networks can be specific and exclusive (such as clubs that require certain conditions to be met in order to become a member) or more general, such as online networks.

Build contacts — it works with networking

Building a professional network is also known as networking. Networking means building a sustainable social network of professional contacts that cooperate and support each other.

Many interesting jobs or assignments can only be obtained today through good relationships. Good relationships are also essential when looking for suppliers, investors or business partners.
Founders can also benefit enormously from a good and broad network so that — especially in the initial phase — they do not have to make their way into this new world alone.

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This should be considered when networking

As in private life, professional networking also has rules and guidelines that must be observed. Here you can find out how aggressive you can be and what you should not do when building up your professional network.

5 tips for your professional network

1. Know your goals

First, make it clear to yourself what you're looking for. Would you like a new professional challenge, are you looking for investors to realize your business idea or are you interested in a specific area of expertise? You can only contact the right contacts if you know exactly where you want to go.

2. Be polite and be patient

Don't fall into the house with the door. Anyone who asks too much right from the start quickly becomes intrusive. That's why it's important to take things slowly and start with small talk first. Sharing knowledge and experience that you have already gained is always a good start to a conversation.

3. Quality comes before quantity

You've probably already guessed it: You don't need many contacts, you need the right ones. And the right contacts are those who have the same goals as you or are already where you want to go. So choose the right contacts and network with them.

4. Build long-term relationships

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The longer you know each other, the more trust you can build up in one another. Professional relationships should therefore also be maintained continuously. On the one hand, this can be done through digital exchange, but personal meetings — such as lunch — are even better in order to stay in touch and keep each other up to date.

5. Take advantage of opportunities and further expand your network

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Maintaining long-term relationships is very important. However, opportunities should not be missed to make new connections possible through the contacts that have already been established. The algorithms of major social platforms can also help with this: Take a look at the suggestions made by LinkedIn, for example, and get to know other exciting people.

Findings

• Networks are very helpful for getting ahead in everyday working life.
• In order to be able to actively use networks, you must first know your own goals.

• Quality comes before quantity: Select the right people for your network.
• Long-term relationships build trust and are more likely to result in others helping you get ahead professionally.

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