My husband and I serve in the career ministry at our church. As a part of the ministry, we coach and support people who are unemployed, underemployed, or unfulfilled in their work.

During a recent workshop, I spoke with an individual who was struggling. She had worked for her company for 23 years, and they informed her the company was closing in two weeks. As I spoke with the individual, she shared her fears of not finding future employment.

As the conversation progressed, we discussed what steps she’d taken to enhance her job search. I asked her what networking events she had attended? She lowered her head and said, “none.”

I also asked her how she was engaging her professional network. She told me she didn’t have a network.

When I coach clients who are looking for a job or who want to change careers, I always ask them if they have a professional network. Most of the time the responses I receive are no.

Why is this an important question? Because having a strong professional network is essential to a successful job search. Your network provides critical factors to increase your success in business and life.

In today’s competitive job market, many jobs are unadvertised. So how are the positions filled? Through connections in your professional network. If you don’t have a professional network, the job search becomes more difficult.

So, what is a professional network, and why is it important? According to the Michael Page team, “your professional network includes everyone from friends and family to work colleagues, business connections, your social network and members of groups to which you belong.”

An active professional network is vital to career growth. Research has shown the most successful people depend on the power of networking to grow professionally and personally. Building a professional network has many benefits to include the following:

  • Building confidence
  • Finding a job you love
  • Access to talent for recruitment
  • Further promotion opportunities
  • Additional sales and opportunities
  • Strengthening business connections
  • Access to social and networking events
  • Offer fresh ideas and different perspectives
  • Insights into how organizations or fields of business operate

Building a professional network takes time and effort. The best networkers seek to add value to others.

“Your network is your net worth”

Porter Gale

Are you building your professional network?

#YourLeadershipGuide
Kim


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  • Excellent advice and something I am working to build. I certainly won’t neglect my network again.

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    I'm Kim, your Educational Leadership Guide. I equip educational leaders with research-based and experientially learned educational leadership principles and best practices to promote student success.


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