Networking in a different field
Photo by Thriday
Here's part two of our three-part networking series. Today I'm focusing on the following question.
"How do I build a network in a field where I don't have contacts?"
Dig deep. Before you say definitively that you don't have contacts in an industry, dig deep. Literally map out each day of the week (including weekends!), and identify who you're interacting with. Yes, I'm talking about neighbors, parents, fellow volunteers, fellow gym-goers, people who go to your religious services, colleagues. All of it. And if you don't know what they do, all you have to do is ask!
Join an association or meet up group. Where do people in your target field hang out? That is, do they belong to one or more professional associations or a local meet up group? If you don't know, do some research. If you can't find anything like this in your area or nationally, think about looking into other groups that may have people in your target field. For example, women's groups like Ellevate or Chief, or general networking-focused groups like Vistage. You may also find relevant local professional events on Eventbrite.
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