Professional Networking

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Becoming too comfortable in a particular job, position, or company could be a sign to start looking for a new frontier. But leaving your comfort zone to explore something new could be challenging as well. Interestingly, discontentment could be a prerequisite for growth. Sometimes, you allow destructive fear to cripple your opportunity to experience something new, such as a career shift, a promotion, securing a new job, or starting up a business.

In fact, it is very possible that you are where you are in your career as a result of your choices. Whether you like where you work or not is all about choices. And not surprisingly, the way you carry yourself has a lot to do with how the world responds to you.

If you second-guess your abilities, the world will second-guess you. On the other hand, if you appraise your capabilities, the world will agree with you and better point you in the right direction. That is why you must do whatever it takes to get rid of self-doubt because self-doubt can become an impediment to your success.

Self-doubt has a paralyzing effect. If not addressed, it could serve as an impediment to navigating life’s endeavors, especially when looking for a promotion or a new career. So, what do you do when you feel like you’ve done everything to gain a job promotion yet have had no luck, or you have applied for a job across industries with no chance of a prospect? Sometimes, it is easier to exclusively look to external factors for an answer while ignoring the importance of looking inward.

To answer the above question, it is important to start by considering your soft skills because soft skills never go out of fashion. One of those soft skills is self-confidence. Self-confidence is simply saying to yourself, “No matter what, there’s a space exclusively for me, and I’m going to find or create that space.” There are three practical ways that can help you navigate through this terrain: self-inventory, improving your technical skills, and networking.

Self-inventory

Self-reflection is the highest form of self-care because it brings attention to the self and present. Simply put, your ability to advance in life starts and ends with how you perceive yourself and the world around you. Hopefully, while reflecting on your finances, career, relationships, health, and other important areas in your life, you can also consider how many people in your life are strategically sharing the same business or career mindset with you. Sometimes, you may have a lot of people in your life for various reasons, but none of them are interested in your career or business. At that point, you might consider reaching out to people who share similar business or entrepreneurial values.

Also, it takes soul-searching to get to the point of seeing yourself properly, making decisions that could move your aspirations forward, and finding a tribe that can help you achieve your goal. Also, it is difficult to achieve your dream if you don’t have any point of reference. In this modern era, you can use social media to obtain credible materials that can help you move forward in your career. In other words, brushing up on your technical skills can help you reach a wider audience from different industries.

Technical skills

Technology is the new language of modernization. Irrespective of the industry, more companies require digital skills than ever. Bringing yourself up to date on the current trends in your field of practice goes a long way when those skills are needed in your current profession or if you are thinking about moving into a new career. Simply put, no acquisition of knowledge is a waste. It is better to be well-prepared and not have a job opportunity than to get a job opportunity without being prepared.

The worst feelings come when you can’t land a job, either because you are ill-qualified or clueless about the job trend in your field of work. Being informed through the use of technology via Zoom, Webinar, or other means can significantly set you apart in this information age. While technology has revolutionized the way we interact, networking is still considered the best way of creating connections and job-seeking opportunities.

Networking

How you work your network can determine how far you go in your career. Networking is the new currency. It can be challenging to move a product, service, or idea forward without bouncing it off a trusted and reliable source. Networking can also help you locate an unadvertised job opening or internship.

It is obvious that no one is an island to themselves. Being aligned with your tribe of like-minded professionals is a critical ingredient in pursuing a goal. That is why networking is important in today’s economy.

During networking, it would be rewarding to be specific on what you are looking for. Whether in a professional environment or some other setting, be specific about what questions you want others to answer for you and what questions you want to answer for others. If you don’t have a goal in mind during networking, your conversation with your counterparts could be unfocused and unfulfilling. That’s why being intentional can be a pivotal aspect of successful networking. For example, if you’re looking for a mentor, have it in mind at some point to ask them their area of specialization, years of experience, and availability to coach or mentor; these are focused questions that can yield productive answers.

Networking is of great utility if you truly see its value. Recruitment conversations can start with networking. Speaking engagement opportunities can start through networking. Business collaboration can start with a simple exchange of ideas during networking. During networking, it would help to stay out of your head and seek to connect with people on a human-to-human level. In other words, being curious while seeking specific answers during networking can improve the quality of conversation and opportunities for something useful to happen.

Sometimes, you might allow fear to hinder your progress. Whether it’s the fear of self-reflection for what you might find out about yourself, fear of exploring social media and the danger of social media addiction, or fear of socializing with strangers during networking, it all boils down to self-doubt and fear of the unknown. If you can push beyond your self-doubt and take calculated action, you will have a better chance of achieving your goals.