3 Simple Ways To Grow Your Network
A Guest Post by Lisa Solomon, Founder and CEO of Atheneum Collective
I love to learn new things, learn from others, and collaborate to solve problems, so being in a “virtual world” has really tested my need to connect with people. I have found that even in this new world there are still a lot of ways to connect and grow your network. I wanted to share three practical ways you can feel less isolated, meet new and interesting people, and connect with your existing network.
Check ins. How often does someone you’ve worked with pop into your head and you think “I wonder how they are doing…”? I have made it a practice to send an email or message on social media when people I haven’t connected with in a while cross my mind. When I check in, it often leads to a quick call or Zoom to connect; we always have so much to share and find ways to help each other.
LinkedIn. The fact that there is an entire social network dedicated to professional networking is a great way to increase your connections and strengthen existing ones. Whether you are posting your own thoughts and insights, sharing interesting news or engaging with others posts, there are a lot of opportunities for connection. My friend Kristine Shine of Shine Talent shared a great post recently on how to connect on LinkedIn so it makes an impact and provides mutual benefits: “Don’t reach out to anyone and say, ‘I came across your profile and thought we should connect’. Tell me WHY. What do you want? Help me understand how I can help you and how you can help me. LinkedIn is a networking platform. Networking is a give and take. Tell me what you want so we can all help each other.”
AI Connections. I was introduced to Lunchclub.ai in the spring and have found it to be an incredible way to meet new and interesting people. When you join, you complete a quick questionnaire and share your interests so they match you with people in your industry for one on one virtual meetings. I have had over 10 meetings and everyone of them has been great. The caliber of people is excellent and the conversations have been interesting and rewarding. I have found two more similar sites that make connections and will be trying them out as well. Knomad.ai is dedicated to knowledge seekers and those interested in expanding their universe. I heard about this on FishBowl and thought it would be worth exploring. There is also Cirkelwhich connects generations, meaning that it connects professionals across ages and career stages for mutual growth and two-way mentorship. Cirkel is a membership platform that you have to apply to become a part of and does come with a monthly fee.
As part of our mission to help people learn, grow, and thrive, we want to keep sharing practical ways to help you power up your career. You can’t go it alone; we need other people to help us on our path. While COVID-19 has made many feel very isolated, there are still ways to connect. It takes a willingness to try new things, meet new people, and put yourself out there. Don’t wait and start connecting now!
Lisa Solomon is the Founder and CEO of Atheneum Collective, an online learning platform for advertising, media and marketing industries offering video courses in production, media, leadership and more.
Atheneum Collective is a collaboration of Lisa’s passion for the world of advertising, her extensive leadership and business skills, and her focus on building communities. She lives her mantra, “Knowledge is Power and Knowledge Shared is Power Multiplied.”