11 Mar 2025 ● JobLookup
5 Ways That Networking Can Benefit Your Job Search
At one time, networking was all about in-person get-togethers and the exchange of business cards. Thankfully, today’s networking offers many more opportunities to build relationships. While face-to-face networking events still exist, there are also online networking meet-ups, webinars, membership websites, co-working spaces, and social media platforms.
Despite the growth in ways to make new business contacts, you may avoid networking because of a lack of confidence or time. Or you might dismiss it as an unnecessary grind, relying instead on the effectiveness of your cover letter, CV, and interview skills.
But networking isn’t simply about landing a job. Instead, it can enrich your career journey and provide opportunities to build on your skills and knowledge.
Let’s look at the five ways networking can benefit your job search and support your career path.
1. Build Useful Relationships
When you expand your network and make new connections, you increase the number of opportunities available to you. Those opportunities might include:
- a new job or promotion, either with your current employer or another company
- the chance to improve your reputation in your field
- keeping up to date with developments in your industry
- word-of-mouth recommendations and introductions
A network of relevant and quality contacts can help you find a new job now, and also support your career path in the years ahead.
2. Access Hidden Job Opportunities
You won’t always find all available openings by searching job boards or company websites.
One benefit of having a network of business contacts is that they can alert you to unadvertised vacancies in their company. They may even recommend or refer you to their employer. You can ask your network about employment opportunities too.
3. Learn and Share
The benefits of networking aren’t restricted to employment. It can also provide opportunities to learn new skills and exchange knowledge.
If your network includes people who do the same or similar job to you, what skills have they refreshed or newly learned? Would these skills benefit you? If so, why not ask your contacts where they learned these skills and the resources they used? You may even find that members of your network provide the exact training you need.
Sharing knowledge within your network can be to everyone’s advantage. You contribute to the growth of your contacts and in return, you build a reputation for being trustworthy, helpful, and knowledgeable. It may also encourage members of your network to offer knowledge in return. It’s a win-win situation.
4. Stay Informed About Your Industry and Trends
Networking can also keep you up to date with news and trends in your industry. You might like to:
- find out which of your business contacts regularly share industry insights. You can then sign up for their newsletter or read their social media posts.
- keep an eye out for relevant webinars and conferences that members of your network are attending.
- join suitable online communities like industry forums or LinkedIn groups that your business contacts are part of.
And yes, these industry developments and trends may reveal job opportunities.
5. Seek Mentorship
Mentor figures are those individuals who have already walked your career path. They’ve faced the challenges, learning curves, and victories that are still in your future. Their advice can provide valuable insight into the best steps to take next and how to avoid the mistakes they made on their journey.
Start by exploring your existing network. Is there an experienced professional you admire? Reach out to them and be genuine about your intentions.
How to Build a Network of Your Own
Now you know how networking can benefit your job search, here’s how to get started:
- Decide how you like to network. Do you like to meet people face to face or would you prefer to stay safe at your desk and network online? Or do you enjoy it all?
- Set networking goals and intentions. How many people do you want to add to your network each month? Are you networking to find a new job or increase your industry visibility?
- Take advantage of social media. Even if you prefer in-person networking events, social media can be a useful tool to connect with new business contacts. Decide which social media platforms are the best fit for your role, industry, and personality. LinkedIn is probably the most popular social media channel for networking, but you’ll find plenty of business groups on Facebook, Discord, and Slack too.
- Don’t forget the people you already know, like your family, friends, school or university classmates, mentors, or past colleagues and employers. Send them an email, connect on social media, give them a phone call, or meet up for a chat.
- Attend events, whether virtual or in-person, which are suitable to your career path.
- Don’t forget to interact and start conversations. Whether you’re at an event or on a social media platform, don’t be afraid to join a conversation, leave a social media post, or comment on something else’s post.
- Be brave. Networking can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Take it one step at a time, with your goals and intentions firmly in mind.
Wrapping it up
Networking can seem a scary prospect, but it has many valuable benefits for job seekers. From revealing hidden job opportunities to providing a chance to learn and gain mentorship, a relevant and active network is just one more tool in your job search and career path kit.
