Kick-ass Career Guide for Women

The power of networking

One of the most important factors in your career is networking. There is so much personal power you can gain and influence you can exert simply by networking with colleagues, clients, potential clients, and industry thought leaders.

Having said this, pick your events carefully. You want to be at events where topics are interesting and valuable, and where the right people are. If your company sends you off to travel for relevant industry events, take the opportunity.

If you're an introvert and you're shy or deal with social anxiety, it's a great way to meet your challenge and practise the art of communicating with different people.

Personally, I am an introvert who suffers from anxiety before events. However, I also have a note on my office wall that says "What's the worst that can happen?" That's the mantra I carry in my head when I'm in a room full of people I don't know.

Here's a few possible outcomes of the power of networking, with some of my personal examples:

1. You help your company shine at networking events and open the door to opportunities.

Example: My boss once threw me on a boat with a bunch of top executives and industry leaders as part of a week-long industry event. I didn't know anyone on the small ship, which sailed along the coastal line. There was literally no way out except to hop off the ship into the icy water.

I got over my fear and anxiety and started introducing myself to complete strangers. At the end of the evening, after some insightful discussions (never doubt yourself!), I boosted my LinkedIn network and gained a few followers - including government officials in respected positions - who read, react, and share my LinkedIn blogs and posts with their networks.

Later in the week, I made company presentations to some of these top executives, in small business-to-business settings. All international opportunities were later passed to my colleagues in their respective regions.

2. You meet your competition, learn about them, and maybe even scare them a little.

Example: When I plan and execute my work, I like to be under the radar, quietly creeping up and surprising the competition. I traveled to a week-long conference earlier this year and when my colleague took me directly to the competition, he thought it would be fun to introduce me to some key players in competing companies.

At first, I was reluctant; however, I held my confidence, smiled, and introduced who I was. After rounds of introduction, I felt satisfied. My colleague confirmed what I felt - I asked all the hard-hitting questions and got my answers, and they didn't expect me to be a) a woman (yes, I work in a male-dominated environment), and b) youngish and petite. I was up against the big boys and I never backed down. In fact, one of our competitors contacted me in the hope of joining our company (his company folded a few months later).

3. You may get a job or promotion as a result of networking and collaboration.

Example: Some years ago, a previous boss pushed for me to organize and lead the company's presence at an overseas event. During my breaks, he introduced me to key industry colleagues, who I kept in touch with over time. The result is one of these key people hired me to join his company. I took the job and haven't looked back.

What I'm trying to say here is don't be afraid to be your best self and be bold: network and use it to your personal and professional advantage.

After all, what's the worst that can happen?