Your network is like a delicious vegetable garden.  You have to nurture it before you are able to “eat” all the nutrients it provides.  Like planting a garden, developing a network that can support your professional journey and your job search takes time and a bit of planning.  You should not plant your garden when you are starving, and you should not begin networking when you are in the throes of a job search.  A network works best when it cultivated along the way.  In one of my previous blogs, I spoke about how to establish a network.  Below are a few tips to consider when “watering” your established network.

Consider your goals

As a younger professional, I thought strategic planning was only something business executives did to make sure the ship stays on course.  With age comes wisdom and since my earlier years I’ve realized strategic planning is something that goes hand in hand with your career management and networking strategies.

When watering your network, it is important to consider your short and long-term career goals and think of how your network could support your aspirations.  Is there something new you would like to learn about that pertains to your industry or your job?  Where do you see yourself next year?  Or in three years?  Once you have identified your goals, take this exercise one step further and think of how your network can help you answer these questions and support your vision for the future.

How to reconnect

Once you have identified how your network can help, it is time to reconnect with individuals who can provide answers and support for your questions and goals.  Sending an email or a LinkedIn message would be the best way to accomplish this.  In your reconnection message consider sharing a post, article, or website that your connection would find useful.  Another idea could include providing information about an upcoming networking or professional development event to see if your connection will be able to attend.  You could also simply reach out to see how your connection’s work is going.  Inquiring about a specific program or projects you know your connection is working on is a bonus.  The goal of this outreach is to provide your connection with useful information or display genuine concern for what is going on in their world.  By doing so, you have turned the soil so the seeds your already planted can grow.

The ask

Once you get the reconnection conversation going, it is time to throw in your ask.  Think back to your career goals.  Are you trying to lay the groundwork for an upcoming job search?  Are you trying to grow your network?  Are you information gathering; trying to learn more about a certain industry or idea?  Your goals will determine the nature of your ask.  Would you like your connection to forward along your resume?  Would you like to set up a time to chat to learn more about a certain topic? Would you like your connection to connect you with someone else in their network?  The outcome of this ask will be like adding fertilizer to your garden to help it grow faster in the direction you want.  No matter what you are hoping to accomplish, phrase your request in a polite, humble, and succinct manner and watch your garden grow.

Nurturing your network is never a bad idea or a waste of time.  It can help bring you closer to your career goals and it gives you a chance to reconnect with some pretty awesome people.

If you would like to work with a professional to develop a networking strategy, I’d love to hear from you!  Click here to schedule a consultation.  If you enjoyed this post, scroll down to subscribe and my blog will be sent straight to your inbox 😊!