Networking has become an integral contributor to success in career and business. It is even more critical for postgraduate students who are not just building on their careers but also seeking opportunities to advance their experience and expertise. Networking will also give you an incentive to sharpen the soft skills that will, in turn, help you to connect with people easily and express yourself in ways that do not result in misunderstandings. You will have to develop soft skills such as confidence, listening, curiosity, authenticity, and humility, which will help you position yourself to be interesting to others as well as draw others’ interest to you.
Networking standards are global. So your skills and certifications are recognized anywhere in the world your career takes you. Cisco certified professionals have worked their way up through global corporations in places all over the world. They live in every sized community, supporting small businesses, schools, and social services in every town or village where someone connects to the Internet. As a postgraduate student, everyone you meet in your lecture theater could be the person who will help you climb a few rungs up your career ladder. It can involve the people you meet on vacation, at your workplace, in conferences, or in any situation that brings you in contact with other people you’ve never met.
Networking is great for finding potential customers or suppliers, but it’s also great for skills sharing. Meeting connections at events could help you find a great resource for training, or even help you pair up to win new work together.
Having these connections on hand could also help you become more competitive. Freelancers or new start-ups may not have the reams of connections to hand that older, more established businesses might have. Attending networking events, and meeting other professionals, can help enhance your knowledge, as well as increase your chances of winning new business.
Acquiring your post graduation degree definitely elevates the level of your academic achievement. Networking will help you add value to your career through investing in others in terms of sharing your connections and expertise and having people to turn to when pursuing growth opportunities.