Whether you enjoy meeting new people or cringe at the notion of a room full of strangers, networking is crucial for professional success. You can meet people who can assist you in your career endeavors by expanding your professional network in novel and intriguing ways. These eight suggestions will help you expand your professional network.

1. Consult with loved ones and friends

Don't discount your friends and family as a networking resource just because you don't want to work with them. There might be persons in their network with whom you wouldn't normally be able to make contact. So don't be timid and seize this once-in-a-lifetime chance.

2. Go to networking occasions

You may meet important people and network with business leaders both online and in person at networking events. At one of these events, you might also meet a potential hiring manager or possibly your future mentor.

3. Join social media

LinkedIn is the top professional social media site. For many reasons, it's crucial to have a completely optimized LinkedIn profile, but this is just one aspect of your overall networking strategy. Join select LinkedIn groups and participate in discussions with consideration. Giving sound advice establishes your worth as a network member to the other group members. That relationship may eventually be advantageous to both of you.

4. Maintain Contact With Old Coworkers

Consider re-establishing contact with your former coworkers or perhaps your boss if you left your prior job on good terms. You can at the very least catch up on old times and learn what's novel and fascinating about your former employer. If they've gone on, it can be worthwhile to reconnect because you never know who or what they know.

5. Be a member of professional organizations

Join professional organizations or associations in your field both online and offline in addition to joining groups on LinkedIn. This makes it simpler to connect with those who are knowledgeable about what you perform.

6. Consider Alternative Industries

Of course, networking inside your field is a fantastic place to begin. Making contacts outside of your professional network is the best way to expand it, though. You can advance professionally by broadening your networking activities beyond your sphere of employment.

It's a fun opportunity to meet others who might not work in the same field as you but can still offer helpful advice on getting around the office. By learning more about fields outside of your own and expanding your knowledge of your sector, you might even be inspired to change careers!

7. Volunteer

You may support issues you care about by volunteering. It's another original technique to expand your network of business contacts. Working side by side with people who share your values can help you connect in ways that normal networking scenarios might not be able to, as well as introduce you to people outside of your profession.

8. Stay Active in Your Alumni Association

Your alumni association is a great and frequently underused resource for job seekers. To begin with, alumni associations frequently offer networking occasions for their members. These might be for more general networking or for particular job niches. Connecting with people who graduated from the same college, however, is an easy conversation starter that can result in some strong and long-lasting network relationships even outside of networking-specific events.

Sow the Seeds

The process of expanding your professional network takes time. With consistent, gradual work, you'll soon have a contact list for your job hunt that will undoubtedly help you get a foot in the door of an organization you'd like to work for!