The word “networking” sounds cold and political to many women, but the word indicates a forming of relationships with a mutually beneficial group of friends. As Keith Ferrazzi said, “The currency of networking is not greed but generosity.” This means that you receive support from the group while you return the favour, with the give and take occurring on all occasions.

Networking is the most effectual way to climb the ladder of success. Through your network, you can obtain and share skills and contacts that are essential for everyone’s success. To survive in today’s competitive world, we need to master an extensive range of competencies and modernise ourselves as swiftly as possible for effectuality and efficiency.

Research has shown that women get less from networking than men. Hence, it is paramount that we form networks as quickly as we can, and spend our valuable time and effort on them every day. There are two ways of networking: through the virtual world and the physical world. I do not believe one is more effective than the other, but the combination of the two is a lot more powerful.

Daily Networking For Women in the Virtual World

The ideal way to network successfully on the virtual platform is through the use of the LinkedIn professional social site.

First and foremost, form a connection with some LinkedIn groups that are relevant to your professional field. Plan to interact with their team members intelligently, and be proactive (not a lurker). Establish yourself as a productive person within the group. Comment on the posts or post a topic of discussion two or three times per week. Be sure to show that you are a reliable and trustworthy person with valid sources of facts, statistics and information whenever you comment and post.

Related: Networking Groups for Entrepreneurs in Singapore

Remember that while every post you see on your newsfeed is inviting you to join a conversation, it is a waste of valuable time to comment on every single one of those posts. A better strategy would be to like, share, or comment on some of the more relevant posts each day (perhaps on your commute home from work?).

Download the “LinkedIn Connected” IOS or Android application. This will allow you to easily receive notifications every time there is an important event within your networks, such as a new job opening, work anniversary, new training or workshop event. Your instant response to these events can provide a boost your career.

Finally, if you feel that the discussions or opportunities within a networking group is not beneficial to you, establish a new networking group. Share news, articles, slides or videos to initiate a conversation or discussion. Tag certain people directly so that your posts are highlighted to them. This will establish a stronger connection within the group, as they will appreciate your friendly and interactive behaviour.

Daily Networking For Women in the Physical World

In the real, physical world, you can form networks by attending seminars, workshops, conferences, company fundraisers or any other career related events.

Initiate a friendly interaction with your co-workers, even if they don’t directly help you in your job, as they possess different skills and networks that can be helpful later on. For instance, set up a fundraiser for the company’s benefit. Ask a few of your co-workers to help by sharing some efficient strategies that can get the task done faster. The next time they need help with a task, you can support them through your insights and experience. This exchange of ideas supports everyone and establishes a good network between you and your co-workers.

During conferences, don’t think that you are there to just learn and go home. Share your thoughts and tactics with the others. Offer to include them in one of your personal projects or give them ideas so that their careers may also grow. This is a generous and effective way to develop a solid network.

Form connections with organisations or charities that are affiliated with professional figures you admire. Working with such organisations might highlight your skills and bring you reknown within that organization’s community.

Read: 6 Pros and Cons of Joining an Incubator for Entrepreneurs

Recommend0 recommendationsPublished in Productivity
Previous article6 Ways to Make Extra Money Without Quitting Your Day Job
Next articlePros and Cons of Coworking Space for Entrepreneurs
Founder @ The New Savvy
Anna Haotanto is the Advisor (former CEO) of The New Savvy. She is currently the COO of ABZD Capital and the CMO of Gourmet Food Holdings, an investment firm focusing on opportunities in the global F&B industry. She is part of the founding committee of the Singapore FinTech Association and heads the Women In FinTech and Partnership Committee. Anna is the President of the Singapore Management University Women Alumni. Anna invests and sits on the board of a few startups. Anna is also part of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry Career Women’s Group executive committee. Anna’s story is featured on Millionaire Minds on Channel NewsAsia. She hosts TV shows and events, namely for Channel NewsAsia’s “The Millennial Investor” and “Challenge Tomorrow”, a FinTech documentary. Anna was awarded “Her Times Youth Award” at the Rising50 Women Empowerment Gala, organised by the Indonesian Embassy of Singapore. The award was presented by His Excellency Ngurah Swajaya. She was also awarded Founder of the Year for ASEAN Rice Bowl Startup Awards. She was also awarded the Women Empowerment Award by the Asian Business & Social Forum. Anna has been awarded LinkedIn Power Profiles for founders (2018, 2017), Tatler Gen T, The Peak’s Trailblazers under 40 and a nominee for the Women of The Future award by Aviva

4 COMMENTS

  1. […] published by Harvard Business Review February last year, a controversial claim was made: the advice “network more” is bad advice for women, or at least, not as good as an advice for women as it is to men. This is […]

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here