Networking can feel intimidating and awkward, but the truth is that we network all the time. Unless you live under a rock, you operate within a network of people every day. Some days you might even expand that network. Think about the last time you met a new person at a dinner party, or talked to a friend of a friend at a baseball game. The casual conversation you had with that person was networking, albeit in an informal setting.
Professional networking doesn’t have to be much more intense than that casual dinner party conversation. The topic of conversation may be narrower, and the focus may be more on your line of work than the quality of the food. But networking is still mainly about two people getting to know one another, and learning how they might be able to help each other out. Project managers are notorious for corralling multiple people simultaneously, many of whom perform very different work, all to achieve a project goal. Networking is especially important for project management, and it should be a regular part of your routine if you manage projects frequently. Read on for insight from experienced project managers and business leaders on why networking matters, and how you can effectively network to your advantage.
1. Find New Clients
“When you network regularly you’ll benefit from making lots of new connections, and can even secure your next client or project. A lot of project opportunities and jobs aren’t shared widely, and you might learn about a new opportunity through your network. It can also help enrich your current projects by expanding your horizons. Project managers often have to juggle a lot of different partnerships and clients simultaneously, and you never know when you might need to know someone with specific skills, like a graphic designer or web developer.” – Daniel Tejada, Co- Founder of Straight Up Growth
2. Develop New Contacts
“Networking can help you stay up to date when it comes to project management and what is currently happening in the industry. You can learn about new software, technology and the latest trends as well as a result of networking. It can also help you develop contacts. This can be advantageous to both your short and long-term career goals.” – Rob Chang, CEO and Director of Gryphon Digital Mining
3. Boost Your Confidence
“The act of networking itself helps you to build a lot of soft skills, like the ability to talk with different people and communicate your work clearly. Networking will also help you to build confidence in your communication skills, which you can bring to your work when managing projects. An important component of project management involves managing diverse groups of people with varied skill sets, many of whom probably don’t work together often. As a project manager, you have to get them all on board and working on the same timelines. It’s a bit like herding cats, which is not unlike networking itself. These soft skills are essential in the workplace, especially for project managers.” – Eric Gist, CEO of Awesome OS
4. Find New Team Members
“Managing a long term project will likely involve multiple phases over many months or years. Team members will come in and out of the project over its lifespan as it evolves and progresses. By networking, you’ll meet new professionals who may be able to play a key role. Perhaps you’re not looking for an expert in that field right now, but six months down the line, you might be. It doesn’t hurt to expand your network and meet new people; you never know what they might be able to offer later on.” – KasparPovilanskas, Co-Founder and CEO of Nowadays
5. Broaden Your Horizons
“Sometimes you don’t know what you need until it crosses your path. It’s like browsing in a bookstore: you might come across a great book that you never would have thought to seek out. Networking can be like that. As a project manager, there may be different methods or techniques that you wouldn’t naturally think of, until you meet another professional who is in a different line of work. Maybe they do things a different way, and it makes you think ‘huh, maybe I could do things a bit like that too.’ That type of spontaneous collaboration can help projects break out of ruts, or move into a new and exciting phase that you wouldn’t have expected.” – Michael Waxman, Co-Founder and CEO of Sundays for Dogs
6. Learn Emerging Trends
“Networking can help project managers to learn more about new tools and trends for project management. Different project managers have different methods for doing what they do, and this can depend on the kind of project, as well. For instance, some projects may require logging all information into technological platforms such as Notion or ClickUp, while others may require more reporting and translating those reports into charts and graphs. Either way, if you are a project manager, connecting with other project managers can help you to gain the knowledge of managing all kinds of projects so that you do not have to learn too much as you go.” – Joaquín Roca, Co-Founder and CEO of Minerva
7. Career Development Opportunities
“When it comes to career development, networking is essential for anyone looking to excel in their profession and build relationships with others. It’s no different for project managers. You can learn about the emerging trends from other professionals, learn new skills, and find mentorship opportunities that can help your career. Those who are looking to network can utilize social media platforms such as LinkedIn to strengthen relationships and showcase their expertise through their education, certifications, recommendations, and job experience.” – Hayley Albright, Senior Brand and Customer Experience Manager at XenaWorkwear
8. Promote Your Project
“When you network you not only meet other people, but you’re able to promote your own work and brand too. As a project manager, it’s often important to get your project out there so that you can drum up interest and support. By networking effectively, you can share the most interesting and important part of your work – maybe you’re developing a new app, or expanding your business into a new market. Make sure you have a solid pitch and a good elevator speech prepared so that you can grab their interest.” – Woody Sears, Founder of HearHere
9. Shake up your Routine
“If you’ve had your nose to the grindstone for a long time, it’s helpful to shake things up. When you’re managing a long term project, it’s likely that you’re talking to the same people every day and have developed some steadfast routines. While this can be helpful for getting things done quickly, it’s not always helpful when you’re trying to be creative or innovative. By networking and meeting new people, you might learn some new approaches or spark some ideas. Forcing yourself outside of your comfort zone will help you to grow as a professional and learn new skills.” – Jeff Henretig, President of Apothecanna
10. Have People in Your Corner
“Communication is an essential skill for any leader, especially someone who has taken the lead on a project. Networking with like-minded professionals that share the same passions gives you the unique opportunity to glean from their ideas and insights. It also helps to have people in your corner who you can turn to for advice when challenges and obstacles arise.” – Rachel Blank,Founder and CEO of Allara
11. Learn to Collaborate with Others
“Even seemingly ‘individual’ projects you take on at work almost always require some collaboration with others. Project success ultimately depends on your ability to work with others. To most successfully collaborate with others, we suggest approaching it from the perspective of, “what’s in it for them?” Before you ask someone to help you with something, for example, pause 12. for a minute to consider their point of view. If someone were to ask you for help on a project, how would you prefer to be asked: with “I need you to…”, or with “I am working on X, and I could really use your expertise to do Y. Would you have time to help me with this?” This isn’t just about being nice (though it’s about that, too).” – Michelle LaBrosse, Founder of Cheetah Learning
12. Create a Knowledge Platform
“All in all, to me, networking as a project manager is more than just building a brand or name; it is about creating a platform where everyone can share their knowledge and interests. It is a way of helping one another thrive in our profession and an opportunity to learn from other experiences. That is why it is essential to cultivate and maintain those relationships so they can endure in time.” – Jeannette Collazo, CEO of Lurdez Consulting Group
Remember that networking is a learned skill, and it can take practice to become a comfortable and productive networker. At the end of the day, the goal of networking is to meet new people and learn things about them, while potentially sharing some of your own expertise. It’s not radical, and there is no “right” or “wrong” way to network. Whether you meet someone for a virtual coffee, or attend a formal networking event, take some time to figure out what you’d like to learn from the experience and what you have to offer. With time and persistence, you’ll develop a meaningful network that will make you a stronger project manager.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
