Leveraging Your Network: A Female Healthcare Tech Professional’s Guide

Shereese Maynard
HITLikeAGirlPod
Published in
4 min readMar 13, 2023

Building and maintaining your professional network is essential as a female healthcare tech professional. A solid professional network can open doors to new opportunities, provide valuable resources and advice, and help you navigate the complex worlds of healthcare and tech. But how much time should you be spending building your professional network? And what’s the return on investment when building a robust professional network? Read on to find out more.

How Much Time Should I Spend Building My Network?

The amount of time you should spend building your network depends on several factors, such as how comfortable you are networking and how important networking is for your career goals. If you are already a natural networker, the amount of time spent will likely be less than someone more introverted or uncomfortable in social situations. Additionally, networking may require more focus and energy if it plays a vital role in achieving your goals. Regardless, every day presents an opportunity to build relationships with individuals that could prove beneficial down the line, so it is wise to use those chances whenever possible!

What’s The ROI Of Building A Professional Network?

The return on investment in building a professional network varies depending on the relationship or connection type. The relationship may lead to an immediate benefit, such as finding a job opportunity or gaining insight into an industry or topic. Still, there also may be long-term benefits, such as having someone to turn to when difficult decisions arise or relying on someone for advice when needed. Building a solid professional network requires patience and effort but can eventually lead to great rewards!
-See more at: https://girlsintech.org/nenetworking-for-women-in-tech/

How To Find High-Yield Professional Friendships, Sponsors, And Mentors?

Finding high-yield professional friendships, sponsors, and mentors comes down to research and being proactive about networking. Many blogs will tell you to network with like-minded individuals in similar positions or who have achieved success in their careers and industries. That’s true to a small degree, but it may be more beneficial to network with diverse-minded people who have taken the road less traveled. You can learn a lot from career professionals who take the not-so-traditional paths to leadership. Mix it up. Look for events related to healthcare technology where there may be potential connections, or join online forums or groups dedicated to healthcare tech professionals where conversations among peers can occur. If you’re looking for a perfect one, try HIT Like A Girl Pod. For an annual fee, you get access to private events, learning tools, a great network of professional women and men, plus more. Additionally, consider attending conferences related to healthcare tech where there will potentially be many influential people in attendance who could help further your career aspirations! I recommend VIVE and HLTH, but you should also find local chapters of professional organizations to launch your leadership journey.

How To Help Other Women While Building Your Network?

Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

One of the best ways for women working in healthcare tech fields to help each other while growing their networks is by providing resources such as mentorship programs or job boards exclusively for women seeking employment opportunities. Did you know that women in tech communities usually receive job announcements before the general public? That’s a benefit of networking. Additionally, leveraging existing networks by connecting other female professionals with potential employers through referrals or recommendations when they know they are hiring can also go a long way towards helping other women while expanding one’s network simultaneously!

Networking as a female healthcare tech professional has challenges but is ultimately worth the investment. Networking is rewarding, both personally and professionally. The gains from forging meaningful relationships with those within one’s desired industry or profession is the gift that keeps giving. Researching events related to healthcare technology, joining online forums dedicated specifically towards female healthcare professionals, attending conferences related to this field, leveraging existing networks through referrals and recommendations, and providing resources like mentorship programs or job boards exclusively for women looking for employment opportunities all serve as great ways for developing lasting relationships with others leading them down paths towards success! With effort and dedication, anyone can become an expert at networking no matter what field they work in, making it easier for them to to reach higher levels within their chosen field faster than ever before!

How are you leveraging your network? Leave me a comment or send me a Tweet.

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Shereese Maynard
HITLikeAGirlPod

Digital Health Professional. Woman in Technology. Writer. Speaker. Hiker. She/her