What is networking?

Networking is the process of making connections and building relationships with other professionals in your field. It involves getting to know others, learning about their work, and sharing about yours. When people network they often exchange contact information. This helps people grow their professional networks, which can be a gateway to job opportunities and much more. Building relationships with peers in your field can expose you to new knowledge, resources, and connections that support your professional advancement.

How to build your network

There is no one right way to go about networking. Some people are more extroverted and quickly make connections. Others may be more introverted or shy and take more time developing connections. Your approach will depend on you.

Sometimes, people network with a specific goal in mind–to get a job or promote their research or project. Other times, people do not have a specific goal; rather, they aspire to build their network, knowing it may yield career benefits in the future. Building your professional network can help you achieve your career and professional goals.

Professional networks are comprised of both closer ties–like your coworkers or classmates–and weaker ties–like colleagues you meet at a professional meeting or conference. When we talk about networking, we often mean intentionally growing our network of weaker ties. At a basic level, this entails meeting new people and exchanging contact information or connecting on LinkedIn. 

But networking also means maintaining established relationships. This calls for occasionally checking in with colleagues to find out how they are doing and what they are working on, and to share about your recent work too. Building your network requires growing new connections and maintaining existing ones.

Types of Networking Events

Professional Meetings and Conferences

Professional meetings and conferences are a great way to build and maintain your network while expanding your expertise and skill set. They generally bring together scholars and/or professionals for the purpose of sharing advancements in the field and exchanging ideas. Such events offer myriad opportunities to connect with fellow attendees, from formal networking sessions to informal conversations while waiting in line for coffee.

Career Fairs

Career fairs are a great way to learn about career opportunities and connect with potential employers. Universities and colleges, job placement centers, professional and industry associations, and other entities occasionally offer career fairs that bring together multiple employers for purposes of employee recruitment. The fair-like setting offers attendees a forum to connect directly with recruiters and learn about job openings. Job fairs can help attendees make valuable contacts and advance their job search.

Informational Interviews 

Informational interviews are a valuable tool to learn more about a specific field, industry, or institution, and establish meaningful connections. At a basic level, informational interviews are meetings or conversations in which individuals seeking information engage with a knowledgeable professional with experience. Unlike traditional job interviews, the goal of informational interviews is to gather insights, advice, and information–not secure a job offer. Informational interviews offer a low-stakes way to deepen one’s understanding of a field, a company’s culture, or a type of job in order to make informed career moves.

Virtual Events

Virtual events, such as virtual career fairs and networking events, offer access to diverse opportunities and the ability to make connections with people anywhere! Social platforms like LinkedIn and Handshake regularly offer virtual resources and events that can help individuals expand their professional networks and stay connected with trends and opportunities in their field.