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    4 Tips for Growing Your Professional Network

    Business Professionals Networking
    • 26 Feb 2019
    Emily Ostermeyer Author Staff
    tag
    • Career Development
    • Leadership
    • Leadership Principles

    Every professional—from the entry-level contributor to the executive-level VP—can benefit from building a broad and diverse network of relationships.

    The people in your professional circle can not only help you advance in the workplace, but open your eyes to new career opportunities and interests. If you want to make the most of your network, here are four tips to help you grow your connections in a way that enables you to develop as a leader.

    Tips for Growing Your Network

    1. Define Your Network

    To build a robust network, you have to start by understanding its current state.

    Think in terms of your relationships, and consider the people you know and depend on in your professional life. To get started:

    • Make a list of your contacts
    • Scroll through your LinkedIn connections to remind yourself of who’s there
    • Look around your office. You would be surprised how easily you find yourself saying, “I forgot those people helped me with that deadline. I should check in with them.”
    • Look at your resume. No, really. Take a moment to think carefully about where you have been throughout your professional journey—from your time in college, to graduate school, to your first job. Who were the key people helping you at each stage of your career? Those relationships are ones to cultivate or repair.

    Related: To Have a Friend Is to Be a Friend: 3 Steps for Networking

    2. Break Down Your Network

    Once you’ve identified the people who have helped you professionally, you can break your network down into three categories:

    • Strategic Network: Who helps you stay on top of trends in your field and look ahead to plan strategically? Bucket those individuals here.
    • Operational Network: Who are the people you count on to help you get the job done? Who are the people in other departments, or even outside your company, who don’t work for you but you rely on nonetheless? Those individuals fall within your operational network.
    • Developmental Network: Who has helped you develop professionally? Who is there to be a sympathetic ear in tough times and a sounding board when trouble strikes? Those people fit into your developmental network.

    A complete network is strong in each of these categories.

    Related: 6 Networking Tips for Online Learners

    3. Examine Your Network

    You took the time to think through the key people in each category. Now evaluate:

    • Which networks are strongest?
    • Which networks need development?
    • Are any key relationships missing?

    After this analysis, it’s time to get to work.

    How to Become a More Effective Leader | Access Your Free E-Book | Download Now

    4. Cultivate Relationships

    Here’s the secret sauce: Great leaders genuinely care about people and demonstrate authentic interest in getting to know the person, not the connection.

    In the virtual age, business has become increasingly personal and interdependent. From a worldwide perspective, consider:

    • 58 percent of recruitment comes from social and professional networks
    • 49 percent of hiring managers are finding better ways to source passive candidates
    • 37 percent of staffing professionals are looking at building communities or a pipeline of talent

    The trend among these stats are relationships and community, so use yours. But how do you do that?

    The answer is: informational interviews. Though this practice is often a job-seeking strategy, it can be useful when applied to cultivating connections.

    Is there a department in your organization you would like to learn more about? Go back to your team, direct report, or supervisor, and ask if they know anyone who would be willing to talk to you about his or her work.

    Does your friend from graduate school work in a different industry than you? Ask him or her to connect you with a colleague for an informational interview. That’s right—meet with people just to talk about the work they do and genuinely listen to them.

    Leadership Principles | Unlock your leadership potential | Learn More

    Come prepared with questions. You might consider asking:

    • What projects are you working on right now that you are excited about?
    • How did you get started in this department?
    • How would you describe your professional journey?

    To grow your network, your goal should be to build relationships based on genuine interest and respect, not a problem you need fixed. This is an essential practice that will require consistent follow-up, even if it’s a quick email or an office check-in.

    These small moments, invitations, and follow-ups are the keys to cultivating relationships, and these are your network. Get out there and get growing.

    Do you want to enhance your leadership skills? Download our free leadership e-book and explore our online course Leadership Principles to discover how you can become a more effective leader and unleash the potential in yourself and others.

    About the Author

    Emily Ostermeyer is a Content Developer at Harvard Business School Online, currently assisting with the Leadership Principles course. Before joining the Course Delivery Team, Emily worked in education, earning a Master’s in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. When she’s not working on course development, Emily enjoys reading, connecting with the greater Boston community, and of course, taking her dog Finn to the dog park.
     
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    How are HBS Online courses delivered?

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    We offer self-paced programs (with weekly deadlines) on the HBS Online course platform.

    Our platform features short, highly produced videos of HBS faculty and guest business experts, interactive graphs and exercises, cold calls to keep you engaged, and opportunities to contribute to a vibrant online community.

    Are HBS Online programs available in languages other than English?

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    We expect to offer our courses in additional languages in the future but, at this time, HBS Online can only be provided in English.

    All course content is delivered in written English. Closed captioning in English is available for all videos. There are no live interactions during the course that requires the learner to speak English. Coursework must be completed in English.

    Do I need to come to campus to participate in HBS Online programs?

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    No, all of our programs are 100 percent online, and available to participants regardless of their location.

    How do I enroll in a course?

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    Certificate Programs

    HBS Online welcomes committed learners wherever they are—in the world and their careers—irrespective of their professional experience or academic background. To extend the reach of HBS Online, we no longer require an application for our certificate programs. (Applications are still required for our credential programs: CORe and CLIMB.) You can now immediately enroll and start taking the next step in your career.

    All programs require the completion of a brief online enrollment form before payment. If you are new to HBS Online, you will be required to set up an account before enrolling in the program of your choice.

    Our easy online enrollment form is free, and no special documentation is required. All participants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program.

    Updates to your enrollment status will be shown on your account page. HBS Online does not use race, gender, ethnicity, or any protected class as criteria for enrollment for any HBS Online program.

    Credential Programs

    HBS Online's CORe and CLIMB programs require the completion of a brief application. The applications vary slightly, but all ask for some personal background information. You can apply for and enroll in programs here. If you are new to HBS Online, you will be required to set up an account before starting an application for the program of your choice.

    Our easy online application is free, and no special documentation is required. All participants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program.

    Updates to your application and enrollment status will be shown on your account page. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application for CORe and three weeks for CLIMB. HBS Online does not use race, gender, ethnicity, or any protected class as criteria for admissions for any HBS Online program.

    Does Harvard Business School Online offer an online MBA?

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    No, Harvard Business School Online offers business certificate programs.

    What are my payment options?

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    We accept payments via credit card, wire transfer, Western Union, and (when available) bank loan. Some candidates may qualify for scholarships or financial aid, which will be credited against the Program Fee once eligibility is determined. Please refer to the Payment & Financial Aid page for further information.

    We also allow you to split your payment across 2 separate credit card transactions or send a payment link email to another person on your behalf. If splitting your payment into 2 transactions, a minimum payment of $350 is required for the first transaction.

    In all cases, net Program Fees must be paid in full (in US Dollars) to complete registration.

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    After enrolling in a program, you may request a withdrawal with refund (minus a $100 nonrefundable enrollment fee) up until 24 hours after the start of your program. Please review the Program Policies page for more details on refunds and deferrals. If your employer has contracted with HBS Online for participation in a program, or if you elect to enroll in the undergraduate credit option of the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program, note that policies for these options may differ.

     

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