Your professional network can be a powerful asset, like childhood friendships that make life easier. As a self-employed professional, building meaningful connections takes more effort, but the payoff can be significant. Engaging with others on platforms like LinkedIn and in person allows you to create genuine relationships that lead to opportunities, learning and collaboration. We share how your network can be your secret weapon for success.

Playground pals to professional networking

When you’re a kid, you make friends. Those friends invite you to birthday parties, play dates or just ‘round’ to hang out. With friends, life is easier; you have somebody to eat lunch with, a shoulder to cry on, a homework buddy.

So, is it different when you grow up?

You start work, meet colleagues; some become friends, some frenemies and some you avoid at all costs. This is a little like the playground, but now there is much more at stake with these work-based relationships. Just think about it: a buddy moves to a new company and then recommends you join them with a bit of a pay rise (that happened to our Founder, Kim Ellis). Just as friendships made life easier as a child, professional networks can significantly ease your journey as an adult.

So now you’re all grown up and have your growing up matesand your grown up buddies, how do you turn theseinto a professional network? Especially if you’re self-employed?

Networking: You have to get yourself out there

Think about it: in the playground or the office, you have a captive audience – you are all forced to be there together and it’s much easier to make friends than fly solo. When you become self-employed, making ‘work’ friends becomes a little more complicated. While you don’t have ashared environment, you do have shared experiences.

And that’s your angle: what can you learn from each other

Our world of L&D is massive, it covers lots of different industries, skills and countries, and there probably isn’t a single L&D professional exactly like another. And that’s what makes networking in our industry so exciting. There is a huge opportunity to inspire and be inspired by your new connections.

In the time before the Internet, connections were made over the phone or in person. Nowadays it’s a heck of a lot easier to connect with people; the Internet has made the world smaller and allowed us to expand our horizons.

When you become self-employed you need to work at making connections, and that means engaging with people.

Schmooze your socks off!

Your first port of call should be LinkedIn – if you aren’t on it, get on it! There are over 1 billion people on LinkedIn, and millions of those will work within L&D. Some will be employed, others freelancing and many working for L&D businesses or vendors.

Our top tip for expanding your network on LinkedIn is to see who is engaging with your connections’ posts, what are they saying and are they somebody you want to connect with?

You need to also make sure that you don’t ghost your connections. It’s a good idea to just check in with people now and then, especially if it is someone you’ve known for ages. You just never know where those conversations will lead… just don’t ‘sell’ to them. You need to encourage genuine connections rather than selling in every conversation; that way you are much more likely to get recommended for work.

While you may think having the biggest network is the best, this isn’t Pokémon…

The number of connections you have won’t translate automatically to opportunities, be that learning, collaborations or work. It’s the quality of connection which really matters. Meaningful connections will open far more doors than just increased connections.

You need to focus on genuine connection, genuine engagement and add genuine value.

While networking on LinkedIn is great, you need to ensure you aren’t neglecting the opportunity to make face-to-face connections. Whether they are virtual meetups, co-working, conferences or local business expos, the more effort you put into networking, the stronger your connections will be. The personal touch of a face-to-face meeting can often leave a lasting impression that a LinkedIn connection request simply can’t.

Your secret weapon: Start slowly and set yourself a goal

Networking can be daunting, especially if you’re an introvert or juggling a busy schedule. But don’t let these challenges hold you back. Start small and engage in online discussions, attend local or virtual events, or simply reconnect with old colleagues.

And if somebody sends you a connection request, send them a message asking how they are. Strike up a conversation or have a virtual chat over a cup of tea. Over time, these small steps will help you build a network that feels natural and supportive – your biggest asset as a self-employed professional.

Remember, your network isn’t just a collection of contacts, it’s a secret weapon that can help you grow as a professional and ultimately thrive in your business!