Importance of Networking in the Digital age
Why Networking Becomes More Crucial in the Age of the Internet
Never has networking been as critical as when it is needed to advance in one’s career and to succeed, especially in the society that we are living in today. Given the number of transactions and collaborations carried out electronically, as well as increasing numbers of telecommuting and other nontraditional work relationships, having a detailed and robust professional contact list is crucial, even if you do not meet some of your contacts in person. Here are some of the key reasons why networking is so important in the digital age:Here are some of the key reasons why networking is so important in the digital age:
- Access to More Opportunities
Networking also opens up a wider range of career and business opportunities that you would not come across if you were to go at it alone. On this level, it helps you get the direct information about a particular job, new projects, freelancing opportunities, and prospects to work with other people from your field. These networks are channels through which your contacts market the skills and knowledge that you have to offer them.
- Staying Relevant and Visible
It also ensures that you are visible to other people in your field so that they can easily contact you for their services when they need them. While general body interaction through conferences, events, and casual meetings has been reduced, you cannot wait to be introduced to someone online. Updating your profile on LinkedIn, commenting other’s posts, sharing your opinions on forums, posting on social media platforms – all these actions are crucial to remain noticeable and be considered an expert in the given field.
- Personal Brand Building
These trends enable you to manage your persona in a way that simple resume and job title cannot permit in current digital environment. While posting expert content and participating in the online community, you reveal your real self and skill connected with your persona. This favors activities that are aligned with the skills, strengths, interest and passion of the worker.
That is where networking comes into play, as it is what provides a tangible anchor in a world that is rapidly going digital, globalization, and moving away from a fixed and centralized workplace. What it means is that maintaining these generally loose connections of friends is what allows for the forming of productive teams and cross-organization and cross-skill set work. With business referrals along with job hunting along with even the office work shifting more completely online, creating a robust professional network is now an absolute imperative for continuing to be connected and for career growth.