What's your approach to networking and building professional relationships?

I've had the opportunity to build my career through a wide range of connections and collaborations. And I can tell you that networking is one of the most valuable tools in your professional arsenal. When I first started my career, I made the mistake of thinking that networking was all about handing out business cards and collecting as many contacts as possible. But I soon learned that quality is more important than quantity when it comes to networking. So, my approach is to focus on building meaningful connections. I take the time to listen and understand the needs and goals of the people I meet, and I look for ways to create value for them. It could be through sharing resources, connecting them with someone in my network, or even just providing advice and guidance. I also make sure to stay in touch with my network on a regular basis. This could be through a quick email or phone call, or by meeting for coffee or lunch. I've found that staying in touch helps to keep the relationship fresh in your mind, and it also allows me to offer assistance or support when needed. Networking is not just about finding new job opportunities, it's about building a community of professionals who can help you to grow and succeed in your career. By building strong professional relationships, you can access new opportunities, insights, and support that you might never have had otherwise. In conclusion, my approach to networking and building professional relationships is to focus on building meaningful connections, creating value, and staying in touch on a regular basis. If you're looking to improve your networking skills, don't hesitate to reach out to me on LinkedIn. I'm more than happy to share my expertise and offer guidance to help you succeed.

I take every opportunity available to meet new people and make meaningful connections, whether it's through attending events or using social media platforms like LinkedIn.

As an introverted individual, I find LinkedIn leads reassuring - I can select and focus on a 1:1 approach, instead of going wild and competing in some physical events with ridiculous levels of intensity. Popular events are not really aimed at introverts, as a level of sound (often with music). One problem I have is maintaining a recurring relationship. I have found that pro-founders and successful individuals delete transactional thinking from their relations, and engage repeatedly to touch base, exchange thoughts and pay interest. I hope to work on that not only as individual improvement, but actually develop a product that scans your engagements and make sure you keep in touch by nudging you to reach out!

It sounds really basic but it's something that my mom taught me when I was starting out my career. I just try to see everyone as a person instead of "part of my network." At the end of the day everyone is just looking for positive connections, whether with friends, colleagues, someone you meet at a conference, etc. So I try to approach networking the same way I would getting to know people at a party or in other social situations.

In general, it's reciprocatory. You offer something and people give you back. Also, try to build a genuine connection (instead of just treating people like a "professional network"). You need to build trust. In terms of maintaining it, finding ways to reconnect can be helpful - such as congrats on someone's new role or recent promotion, or simply wishing them happy holidays. Sending an easy gift can also help! Think of this as a thoughtful gift card - It might not cost a lot of money but definitely makes people remember you