How to start networking when you don't know how to start

Learning how to network is one of the most important skills in growing your professional life and advancing your career, and yet, most people are left to figure it out on their own. I’m here to share with you what has worked for me and what I have observed that has worked for others.

It’s important to acknowledge that networking is important for everyone, regardless of the type of job or career. You don’t need to be sitting in an office to find networking valuable. As humans, we are naturally connectors and need community. The strength of your community and your reach is dependent on your network. 

When you don’t know where to start with the networking process, just start with the basics and go step by step. Below are some basics for getting started in building your network.

Start where you are

The worst thing you can do when networking is to pretend you are something or someone else. Illusions may get you initial introductions but they won’t build solid long-term connections. Ask yourself the following questions:

How do you feel most comfortable communicating?

What types of communication make you nervous?

Are you good at following up?

What are some real and honest ways that you can improve your communication and follow up skills?

What can you give professionally in building networking relationships?

To start building networking skills, it is helpful to be honest with yourself about your biggest skill gaps and the plan you’ll need to follow to improve. And then, do the work to improve.

Be genuine

If you’re an ego-driven person looking to only receive help and advice and not reciprocate, this article isn’t for you. Yes, it’s true that there are a lot of very successful people in the world who are ego-driven and take and take without giving anything to others, but this power-driven and fear-based approach doesn’t work for most people. In order to build genuine relationships, you will need to be genuinely interested and invested in connecting with others. 

When you engage in conversations with others in a professional setting, it is important for you not to immediately launch into your pitch about what you can do for them. The best way to build a foundation in that initial connective conversation is to ask about them. Ask about anything that is appropriate and piques your curiosity, whether about their current role, their career trajectory, their goals, or anything related. People are most receptive to genuine curiosity and empathy. 

Maximize LinkedIn

Before we dive into the deep end of the pool, let’s start with LinkedIn. Beyond connecting with other professionals on LinkedIn, it is critical to engage in discussions on the platform. This will increase your visibility and build others’ confidence in you on LinkedIn. In addition to commenting on posts related to the subjects you are interested in, LinkedIn has two other platforms that make it easy to engage in discussions: Groups and Articles. 

By joining a Group, you will be immediately connected to a specific group of professionals and can start conversations with those cohorts. This is a valuable networking opportunity. However, in order to maximize networking in Groups, you will need to not only join Groups, but engage in conversations and start conversations regularly to build credibility and visibility.

By contributing to Articles on LinkedIn, you can showcase your knowledge on various subjects and have your contributions highlighted on LinkedIn. A balance between the volume and quality of contributions on LinkedIn Articles is critically important to get noticed by your desired networking targets.

Do your research on other networking options

LinkedIn is an excellent tool, but it is truly just the tip of the networking iceberg. Numerous opportunities exist for in-person networking as well as other avenues of virtual networking outside of LinkedIn.

There are many opportunities to participate in free and low-cost in-person networking events. Some may be focused on gathering professionals from a specific industry while others may be focused on gathering people with a specific type of position or career. In addition, many municipalities or chambers of commerce will have networking events centered around a specific topic or a speaker. You never know who you will meet when attending an in-person event. At the very worst case, you will leave with no new contacts, though that is unlikely. 

If you look, you will also find virtual networking events that you can participate in. Some are large scale conferences while others may be smaller groups. Participating in these types of events will not only give you access to interesting and useful information, but may also give you access to contact info for the other participants. The common foundation of having participated in the event is a good reason to reach out to connect, and then it is up to you to get a genuine conversation started.

Ask for introductions

You won’t find out if you don’t ask. When I was younger, I felt like asking for introductions was like cheating and that the connection only had value if I made it on my own. This is completely false. I assure you that it is not only permissible to ask for introductions to others in your industry and/or profession, but it is the standard. As humans, we are connectors, meant to build connections and community with others. Don’t be afraid to ask for those introductions. At some point, you will have the opportunity to pay it forward.

Just start

The most important step to anything, including networking, is to just get started. You won’t do it perfectly at first. In fact, you may make a lot of mistakes at first, and that is okay. Building any new skill takes research and practice. When you view networking as another skill in your toolbox that you can continually work on and not some superhuman capability, you will be able to relax and embrace the journey. Networking is critical for everyone in life. Just start. It will get easier and you will get better over time.