Photo Credit: Pixabay

By Ooi Mei Ling

A strong professional network plays a vital part in one’s career success. Networking could help you develop your skill sets and stay updated on the latest trends in the job market. 

People who expand their network would have access to many job opportunities for career advancement and personal growth. When we network with others, we will reap benefits when we exchange information, experience, advice and also be supportive to others. When we discuss the challenges we face with the people we network with, we are also opening ourselves up to valuable suggestions, advice and guidance. By networking, we are also improving our social skills and this could be extremely beneficial for any job.

Your professional career network could include your ex-colleagues or your present co-workers, bosses, ex-bosses, friends with similar interests or friends working in the similar industry and university mates. It is vital to reach out to people who could assist you when you have questions or require help. Meanwhile, if you are interested in applying for a job in a different industry, you may reach out to friends or acquaintances who are working in that particular industry. It is also advisable to include people from different industries as you would be able to exchange information and ideas with them. 

Networking should be mutually beneficial so be sure to also let your network know how you could provide them useful suggestions, support help or advice. You could also expand your network if you attend networking events and exchange business cards. 

If you prefer to network online, sites such as Linkedin will provide you with a good opportunity to get in touch with working professionals from other companies. You should also keep your Linkedin profile updated as some recruiters utilise social media and networking platforms to look for potential candidates. When you build a reliable network, you are opening doors to more career and business opportunities. When you decide to look for a new job, your connections would be able to act as referrals and inform you of any job vacancies that they are aware of.  

** The views expressed on this opinion is of the writer and not the publisher