Grow your professional network

Quite many of my recent clients did not care about networking at work. (No, I do not mean chats and gossip over the coffee machine or water fountain.) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
They did not understand the importance of professional networking. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If you do not expand your professional network, you close yourself off of so many opportunities. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It is not all about hard work - you also need to be noticed. To be known. If you never show up, no one will know about you. No one will be able to recommend you. Your name will not come to mind of someone who might need your set of skills at some cool project. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You will never hear about many things happening. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I guess you know what I mean. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Always look for interesting people who inspire you around you. Connect with them and stay in touch. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It is also important to serve your network, if you help someone, do that. It will then be easier for you to ask for help. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Prepare your elevator pitch. Learn to talk about what your strengths are, what your big accomplishments are and what you want to achieve. Practice this - it will get easier with time. And no, it is not bragging. It is simply telling others who you are.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Go to company and industry events, fairs, business breakfasts, professional meetups, and so on. Many possibilities out there if you look out of your office. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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In my former company, we organized various amazing events on a regular basis, where employees could meet and have an informal conversation with top management, also the Board Members on many occasions. I always did my best to schedule those and participate. That's why they knew my face, then my name, then who I was.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Takes time and is of high importance if you want to progress professionally. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Reach out to 5 new professionally interesting people in the next week. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Let me know how it went