Katrina Sargent is the co-founder of Business Buzz, an award-winning national networking brand established in 2012 that operates monthly events in 60 towns across the UK.
With over 35 years of experience in B2B sales, Katrina is an expert in building professional relationships and creating vibrant local business communities.
Many people spend years developing technical expertise but very little time learning how to talk about it.
The result? Brilliant people often miss opportunities simply because the right people never discover what they can do. Building a professional network helps you to grow and learn through others, as well as helping you to build resilience.
It’s time we prioritise networking as a skill
Networking is, at its core, a great way to reach people. Whether that’s to develop strategic alliances directly with organisations that either need your technical expertise or service clients so they can recommend you.
It’s important for those starting out in their careers, those looking to grow in their careers and for those starting their own businesses or side hustles. When people hear networking, they often think about events first, especially in the entrepreneurial world, where it’s all about meeting new people all the time. But often, you have already built a network through past experience working in other roles, people you have trained with, or even friends and family. Networking is really just about nurturing these relationships and can be all it takes to have new opportunities come your way.
How to get skilled at networking
One of the main skills in the art of networking is making sure that you are able to articulate what it is that you do, how your technical skills solve a problem and for whom, so when opportunities come up that are a good fit, they immediately think of you. It’s that classic thing where you know your friend has a fancy job, but they can’t really explain what it is they do. Just ask anyone what Chandler’s job was in Friends. Not even Monica was sure!
Another part of becoming skilled at networking is learning how to identify the types of introductions you are looking for. This really enables the people you are networking with to know exactly how they might be able to help you. Storytelling is a great way to do this. Think of your best customer or role – what industry was it in, are there similar industries that your skills can transfer to, and if so, what are they? Being specific and telling a story adds real meaning to others; people remember story specifics and examples. It demonstrates your expertise and makes you memorable, but be careful not to overshare or be too pushy.
How networking can build your general people skills
Another vital skill is being able to build rapport when meeting new people – taking a genuine interest in others and asking questions helps people open up. Even if there doesn’t initially appear to be a match, through conversations you can often find some common ground to build on. Great networkers don’t simply connect contacts, they create value. Introducing two people who could benefit from knowing each other, sharing a useful resource or making a recommendation builds trust long before you ever need to ask for help. The strongest professional networks are built on generosity rather than transactions. Learning these types of soft skills is great because they can only benefit you and help to create a lasting impression.
Following up and staying in touch keeps you front of mind and is another important thing to learn how to manage in business and career life in general. For example, if someone takes the time to introduce you to someone, make sure you follow up in a timely manner, and don’t forget to thank the person who did the initial connection.
Networking in the digital age
These days, networking isn’t all about being in-person, and the internet has made networking more accessible than ever. By demonstrating your expertise using online platforms where your potential valuable connections hang out, you can get involved in discussions by using first-hand experience on how these skills came into play and what the outcome was for the issue. For example, you can offer solutions and help others who maybe struggling with an issue that your technical skills can solve.
Other practical things you can include writing blogs and posting articles that you can share with relevant people, are all great ways to keep you in mind. Give enough away that it is valuable but not too much that they solve the issue without you! One of the main things to remember is that authenticity is key to building long-lasting relationships that can serve you well throughout your chosen career path.
Your technical expertise may open the door, but your relationships are often what keeps it open. Invest in both, and you’ll create opportunities through your career that no qualification alone can deliver.
