Benefits Of Professional Networking: Why You Need To Up Your Game Today

by Debarati Chakraborty

According to the 2020–21 Economic Survey, conducted by the Government of India, Covid-19 gave a boost to the gig economy of the country. The survey, which was tabled in Parliament this January, stated that “the lockdown period saw the growth of the gig economy and increasing work from home in the organized sector.”

Although a lucrative option for freshers and for those who have lost jobs or are looking for part-time gigs, one has to increase visibility and widen connections to make an entry into this highly competitive market.

As a gig worker, you may work remotely, even solo, but you cannot function as a disconnected island and it is important to hone your networking skills in order to succeed.

Top 5 Benefits Of Professional Networking For Gig Workers

Networking involves not only exchanging information on work or job profiles, but also building long-term relationships that are mutually beneficial. In that context, as a gig worker, your success is dependent on relationship-building abilities with clients, co-workers and your audience.

Advantages of improving your networking skills:

You Get Access To New Opportunities

Unlike full-time employment, where companies and the management are responsible for your growth trajectory, as a consultant, the burden of career advancement lies solely on you. The more you network within your industry and outside, the more chances of you getting to know of new opportunities.

Remember that most gigs or projects don’t even get advertised on job portals or company websites. Being connected to the right group of people is sometimes the only way to gain access to these openings.

“I realised the value of professional networking when I started consulting independently. I always made it a point to stay in touch with former colleagues and employers and one of my first paid projects came from a former boss. The next two gigs were from an ex-agency head who I had worked with before,” said Jinal Shah, an On-Demand Marketer and a 2xTEDx Speaker.

Try to improve your visibility by connecting with senior management of companies, start-up owners, subject matters experts, advisors and HR professionals. Network with both former and new alliances, as it may allow you to leverage opportunities that you wouldn’t otherwise come to know of.

You Get Access to Industry Knowledge

Networking provides a great opportunity for you to stay abreast of latest industry developments. With links to well-informed contacts, you can have access to new and valuable information from your industry and outside as well.

It is a good idea to ask industry contacts about new technologies or developments, and check whether you may be able to learn these new skills, through practice or courses, and then implement them at work. Those from outside your field of work may also be able to offer new insights, so be open to communicating with people across work backgrounds.

For Shah, social media networking helped her branch out as a speaker and trainer. “In addition to getting paid assignments as a marketer, networking helped me make my breakthrough as a speaker for the prestigious TEDx platform and also for a training session at IIT Mumbai.”

Building your reputation, as a reliable professional in networking circles, also goes a long way in you getting first-hand information of relevant gigs. Continual networking offers you opportunities to gather new information across sectors and use them to benefit your career development.

You Receive Career Advice And Support

A huge benefit of networking is access to seniors and experienced professionals, which you may not otherwise enjoy within the confines of a single company. This gives you a platform where you can discuss career goals or challenges and seek advice.

Often, lack of relevant data or fund can create hurdles in your career trajectory. High profile individuals or industry experts may be able to help you by providing advice or by connecting you to investors or employers.

Career discussions that you can initiate with relevant connections:

• Share your resume and portfolio and request editing tips.
• Talk about your dream role and request referrals.
• Describe your vision and request practical suggestions.
• Talk about your inhibitions and request suggestions to overcome them.

More often than not, successful leaders are happy to take up the role of mentors and guides; networking with them can lead to valuable inputs and backing. Shah explains how she often turns to her virtual professional connections with queries and doubts, and is surprised with the guidance she receives.

Develop your networking skills to stay updated on job openings and to increase the chances of receiving referrals or getting introduced to relevant people.

You Build Your Confidence

Whether you want to launch your start-up, begin working solo, change your job domain or take up new gigs, you will have to depend on various professional connections. And when others learn about your capabilities, expertise and services you have to offer, it creates room for mutually-beneficial collaborations and partnerships.

As more people take note of your resume and your body of work, you start becoming more confident of yourself and your skills. The idea is to talk about your relevance in your industry, learn how to market yourself in new domains and receive constructive feedback on the same.

How well you market yourself to your connections is also an indicator of how well you might be able to sell/ publicise a client’s services or products. Keep this in mind when you network with industry experts, as they might be looking for these skills in you before they consider working with you.

Interacting with professionals from different sectors and industries improves your soft skills such as communication, public speaking, self-promotion, teamwork and time management, thereby improving your overall confidence. The more you speak about your talents and achievements on virtual platforms, the better you may be able to articulate during actual job interviews.

Your connections may inform you of trainings or certifications that are vital to your gig career, and these could help you further build on your self-esteem. It is true that the more effectively you network, the more self-confidence you build over time.

You Develop Long-Lasting Connections

The whole point of networking is to develop and nurture professional relationships that can stand the test of time and economic changes. The right contacts will not only guide you towards relevant gigs, but also hire you for various projects and jobs.

However, it is important to remember that building connections is never a fast process, as it needs effort and patience. It is important to build credible long-term associations by initiating a two-way process of give and take. Even if you are already working on a project, it is advisable to keep side-hustling to maintain ties with relevant people.

Create a powerful support system, where you can reach out to industry experts and are also available when others need your time and assistance. Professional networking is a vital investment that you make on yourself, the benefits of which are visible sooner than later.

The rewards of networking are hence multidimensional; it helps you develop and improve on your skills, be abreast of industry trends and have a better insight into the job market. You also gain access to necessary resources and funds and meet prospective clients, partners and mentors along the way, all of which together fosters your career growth.