By: Sherre Monte

All of us believe we network every day, however as I have learned over the past few years, we can all do much better.

As a senior executive working for GlaxoSmithKline, I had a large network of about 100,000 employees in global roles in over 150 markets.  I thought this was good enough, and continued to focus on it and grow my internal network.  It was not enough.

In 2015, I attended my first WinIT networking event in Philadelphia at the urging of a colleague at work who thought it would be good for both of us to get out of the office.  We enjoyed the event that included a panel discussion as well as the opportunity to meet and introduce ourselves among a small group of professional women at our table.   This was a turning point for me.  I understood the value of the event and knew that I needed to make networking a priority.

Networking is important for your career and your personal development because it enables you to expand your knowledge and capability by leveraging relationships with other professionals.  Networking is also an essential part of advancing your career.  It is not enough to keep your head down and meet your business objectives, you need to connect with others and build relationships with people you would not have met in your internal network.   Networking enables you to develop new professional friendships, it provides an opportunity for you to ask advice, give advice, and learn how other industries are solving similar problems.  As you connect with other professionals and share your goals and career aspirations, you may find new opportunities that align to your goals.  Based on Recruiting & Hiring article published February 29, 2016; 85% of all jobs are filled via networking.

My advice to all, start networking!

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-survey-reveals-85-all-jobs-filled-via-networking-lou-adler