Now I don’t know about you but one of my biggest struggles was building a network. And I was really late to the game on this one! When I was young I’d go to meet up coding sprints but I never really fit in. Everyone seemed to know everyone else and was certainly no beginner… it just added to my impostor syndrome. Plus what do you talk about? Who to? and how do you introduce yourself?
I can honestly tell you it gets easier! I believe we can learn what we don’t know and with practice, we get better. So I’d listen to the ‘Art of Charm’ podcast, if you’re interested in communication I’d recommend checking it out. I learnt how to find common interests to connect with people having deeper conversations (although some of this is for dating… so beware this could make for interesting networking!!).
Having a networking toolkit can really help you to increase visibility and this can be such a boost for creating opportunities. New projects, new roles, initiatives and more, that you just didn’t know were there! Use the 5 steps below to get going.
5 Steps to Networking
- Your elevator pitch – a captivating introduction so that people want to know more about you!
- Know your audience – do your research, so you can pitch to the right audience.
- Be prepared – Figure out what you want to say, have a few things that would be interesting to share, maybe your situation, projects, challenges and areas that may help others.
- Just do it – reach out make contact and keep doing it. It’ll get easier with each person you meet.
- Follow up – connect on linked in, follow up with a call or message. A network takes investment and may not be fruitful straight away.
Now I rarely have the chance to attend network events, in fact, it’s a logistical nightmare! Organising childcare, dinner & bedtime. Rushing from work and somehow needing to reenergize and put on your best performance. But then when you get to a good event it can be worth the headache. You come home late at night buzzing with everything you’ve learnt and everyone you met. But in a few hours, you’re up and ready for another full day. Conferences became my preferred but an expensive alternative that needed months of planning!
Join a Women in Tech Virtual Network event
So I want to make it even easier to build a supportive network of like-minded women in tech. Women to share your success, that share your challenges, that help each other whenever they can. Women all working towards career advancement. With our virtual network events, if you’d like an easier way to build a strong network join the list by clicking below.
I cannot wait to meet you!
Sue xx
