You’ve probably been told time and time again that networking events are important for your career development, so why do many of us still not bother attending them? For some reason, they’re often thought of as boring, drab and a bit of a waste of time – but they really do not have to be! At the end of the day, networking is a really valuable tool. It can help you to get a lead on a job, boost your confidence, and connect with important people in your field.
With this said, most people are not born networkers. However, I honestly believe that networking is a crucial stepping-stone for all business professionals, so even if it doesn’t come naturally to you, you should still try! It really and can only be of benefit to you. Here are a few reasons for why you should try to attend a networking event to see for yourself – (and it’s not just for the free cheap wine and souvenir lanyard!)
Get Social
let’s be honest, spending all your time in the office can get really boring. If you’ve you’ve never been to one before, your should really attend an event to simply break up your day and socialise a little? Networking events provide a great setting for both socialising as well as boosting your career, so they really are a win-win from that perspective!
Give your Motivation a Boost!
If you throw yourself into a networking event, I guarantee that you will leave feeling inspired, full of fresh ideas, and with a real boosted sense of motivation! When you are surrounded fellow high achievers, it is hard not to go home and want to try harder and do better. If you’re not interested in building relationships, at the very least a networking event is a chance to be motivated by others in your field.
Learn About Career Development
It is likely that there will be people at the event that have been in your shoes at some point in their career. By chatting to these individual, you will be able to ask them how they progressed and built their careers up. Many successful people will be keen to give you advice on how you can do the same and boost your career. Whether they’ve taken a project management course or gained a special business qualification, or taken up certain voluntary work experience – you will be able to learn a lot from other people who have made it in your industry.
Keep up-to-date on Industry
If you attend a networking event with a number of other people from your industry, you’ll be bound to get talking about what has been happening lately. This provides you with a good opportunity to hear what trends are developing and what your competitors have been focusing in on. It is also a great chance to learn more about that the trends of your target market if you attend for business growth purposes.
Build Relationships
The best part about networking events is meeting fellow like-minded individuals in an informal environment. If you want to meet people in the industry you work in, or wish to one day to work in, then you should certainly attend a networking event. The events allow you to get to know people that could one day want to employ you! They are great for developing that initial relationship.
Summed up, networking is much more than simply showing up, grabbing a couple of free snacks, and handing out some business cards. By attending more networking eventing more event and really throwing yourself into them, combined with some practice and research, you will be able to develop the skills it takes to really put yourself out there and boost your career!