3.3 Creating & Maintaining Professional Relationships

After this module, you should be able to...

• Identify the benefits of maintaining your connections

• Be able to utilize recommended strategies to maintain your professional relationships

• Strategically build and expand your network

Key Points to Learn

• Expand upon the connections you already have

• Reach out to experts and ask if you can observe them

• Offer your services, skills, talents

  • Can also help build your network

Key Points to Learn

• Join virtual networking groups

  • LinkedIn is a great place to begin

• Each social media platform is different and serves different purposes

• Invite people to connect offline

Key Points to Learn

1. There are two kinds of networking

   1. Passive: Virtual, impersonal

   2. Active: Personal, intentional

2. Not every relationship is the same

   1. "Big deals": require more investment and time

   2. "Small deals": might be people you met through the internet or in passing

3. More ways to build your network

   1. Begin with the connections you already have

   2. Identify people you want to meet in your field and find a way to meet them

Key Points to Learn

1. Sending a simple text asking how the person is doing will go a long way

2. Make sure you keep in contact with people every once in a while

3. If something reminds you of someone text them about it

4. Send the person a gift; does not need to be expensive

5. Ask the person if they would like to get coffee with you