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In today's competitive job market, strategically networking is essential to land your next opportunity and for you to advance your project management career. Strategic networking is not merely about collecting business cards or making small talk at industry events; it's a deliberate and purposeful approach to building relationships that can advance your career in project management.
By understanding the principles of strategic networking, you'll be better equipped to leverage your connections and navigate the competitive landscape of project management.
Let's discuss the difference between normal networking and strategic networking. One of these will make the difference in landing your next project management job opportunity.
Networking is the process of building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with individuals in your professional or social sphere. It involves connecting with people who share similar interests, goals, or industries to exchange information, resources, and support.
Strategically Networking is not just about meeting people, but specifically seeking out those who have influence, hiring decisions, and leaders that can help you move your career goals forward. For example, if you are a project manager, and want to land your next role, you will want to strategically networking with a Manager or Director Level leader who you can share your experience, passions, and expertise. Don't worry, we will discuss detailed strategies and tips in other portions of this course.
Now, let's talk some numbers.
According to the Harvard Business Review, here are some stats on how employment and business success relate to networking. Of professionals surveyed for this study they found:
88% considered networking to be crucial to furthering their careers
82% participate in networking at least once a month
10% of networking in the US took place with the assistance of the internet (Think LinkedIn, email)
According to Hubspot, 85% of jobs are filled through networking! That's almost 9 out of 10 jobs that you may be looking to apply for could be filled by someone who networked into that role.
So, what are you waiting for? Get strategically networking!
About the Author
Lori Schoenhard is the Founder and Principal of Athena Project Consulting, LLC.
Lori possess two decades of IT leadership expertise, building and leading Project Management Offices (PMO), managing complex global enterprise programs across cross-functional teams, spearheading change management initiatives, and providing coaching to program and project managers. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies, SaaS companies, digital agencies, and SMBs to deliver impactful results.
Lori holds several project management and industry certifications: PMP, CSM, CSPO, SAFe, ITIL. Lori holds a Masters Degree from Boston University in Computer Information Systems and IT Project Management.
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