Your network is your net worth.
The assumption is networking is done “externally,” but what if you actually like your job and don’t want to leave, yet desire to expand your network?
Do it internally.
Similar to sales: return customers have a greater value than new customers.
That means co-workers you connect with and strengthen bonds over time can be more instrumental to your career success than grabbing coffee with a new contact on LinkedIn.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m that guy who connects with people locally on LinkedIn and grabs coffee, but those relationships take time to blossom.
Meanwhile your work relationships have the potential to grow much faster because of the frequency and ease of scheduling.
Too often job satisfaction is determined by what happens to you, not what you initiate. Some opportunities are all about timing, but others are about choice.
Once you understand the company culture figure out how you can connect with people at work: grab lunch, go for a walk, chat on Slack, etc.
Most likely there are too many people at your company to talk with consistently, but that only makes the challenge fun.
- Be the person who asks others how they are doing.
- Instead of going on break alone take a friend.
- Make it a goal to grab lunch with someone weekly.
At my company we’re fortunate to have catered lunches twice a week so that leaves three open days for me.
Some days I make phone calls and other times I need to decompress alone, but imagine how fulfilling your day is with a stimulating conversation!
As an introvert/situational extrovert I prefer quality over quantity…
Making networking part of your lifestyle versus a goal starts by doing it consistently.
The trick isn’t to keep “score” on how many people are in your network, but how often you network with others.
Make it a habit and watch your work fulfillment level skyrocket!
Growing Forward 