There is no doubt education is a key ingredient to your future success and growth in the professional world. However, today I want to briefly touch on a topic that I believe can sometimes be just as important as your education and that is networking.

Don’t get me wrong…in any field you desire to work, education is the foundation that you build your career on. But networking is the wall that helps your career grow and flourish. Even if you want to stay in the same position forever you still have to network and make sure you have colleagues and mentors who you can depend on in case there are ever any emergencies. So today I am just going to keep this short and simple with three basic networking tips.

1. Meet people. Just like in high school, your workplace should have groups and organizations that are tailored for networking and building relationships. These are great places for you to meet people who can you learn from and grow in your career with. Even if it’s one organization you join, that can help you kickstart meeting people to add to your network. Also, try not to limit your network to just your field. You can certainly benefit by having people from different fields of work in your network.
2. Be a mentor and a mentee. One big lesson I have learned in my 8 years in the professional world is to make sure you have a mentor and for you to be a mentor. There is a great amount of knowledge and wisdom you can learn from someone who has been in your position longer than you. I have a mentor in my current role at my company and I always extend myself as a mentor to whoever I can wherever I am. So, find a mentor who can provide guidance and advice to help you in your career and more.
3. Be genuine. When you start building your network, don’t concern yourself with what others will be able to do for you. Seek opportunities to learn and help those in your network with any possible tasks or projects. Additionally, be honest if you feel that someone in your network should not be there anymore. The last thing you want to do is waste everyone’s time when you all are no longer making positive impact on each other. So be honest and genuine.

Networking is not easy, but it’s definitely one of the main building blocks in your career. So do not be afraid to connect with people who are in higher positions than you and those who may be in lower level positions. The importance in networking is that you build and develop long lasting relationships with individuals who are making a positive impact on your career and life. At the same time you should strive to make an even bigger, positive impact in their lives.

I hope this has helped you to get your network started first thing on Monday morning when most of us go back to work. And remember, networking is just as much for those who are fine staying in their current positions until retirement as it is for the person who wants to move up the corporate ladder.