The Art of Building a Career Network

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Networking has become a bit of a buzzword in our society.  From online social media friend counts to professional association contact lists, having a network on a personal and professional level is important.  One thing that some people miss in their attempt to grow and build their set of contacts, however, is how to maintain the ones they have already got.  Without good habits to preserve current acquaintances, your network will constantly struggle instead of grow.

Continual Contact
One way that people lose touch is from a lack of contact.  While you may have exchanged information or had a nice chat some months back, this will only take you so far.  It is important to keep yourself in front of the people in your network.  Simple things such as birthday wishes, holiday cards, congratulatory wishes for new babies, promotions, engagements, etc. can really help to build solid relationships.  Keep in mind that no one wants to be contacted only when they are needed for help.  Expressing yourself regularly to people in ways that help or build them up usually means calling in a favor later is much more accepted.

Update Regularly
Another way that personal or professional networks stagger is due to a lack of updates.  We live in a world where people switch jobs, move to new addresses, and regularly have contact changes.  By making it a point to update your contacts when you have a change, you also open up the conversation for any updates that they may have as well.

Take Advantage of Reasons to Connect
As you go about your daily life, look for ways to connect with past acquaintances or colleagues.  Maybe you hear of a high school reunion that is coming up or an alumni event at your college that you could attend.  Reconnections could also be made through events that you initiate, such as birthday bashes, a New Year’s party, or a reunion picnic.  By participating in these kinds of events, you may even gain new contacts for your network as well as revisit current ones.

Be Trustworthy
A final point on maintaining a network has to do with your integrity.  If you want people to stay loyal to you and stick around as a long term contact, you must keep your promises and be trustworthy.  If you agree to do something, be sure to follow through and perform to the best of your ability.  If you are asked for something that you cannot deliver, be honest and never make idle promises.  Overall, if you are a person that adds value to others, they will likely return the favor and be of value to you for years to come.

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