Some people are gurus at it while others don’t understand what networking entails – they are either not good at it or underestimate the benefits. Networking wasn’t a course taught during my passage at university, and for me, it meant connecting with people and saving their contacts in my phone. I have always been unsure of what should be the next step following the first exchange.
As a young African professional working in the health sector, I rarely network because it seems farfetched and sometimes feels impossible at a junior level. However, I recently landed on a new job, and I believe that “networking” was one of the positive forces that triggered my success. I have since become a networking advocate and encourage all women to have this crucial skill, women across all generations and most importantly, young women like me wanting to expand their horizons. Business and marketing schools are slightly ahead as their graduates seem to handle networking situation without being intimidating. They easily navigate the corporate world and leverage their networks for business and career opportunities.
Young women like me working in health tend to shy away from connecting with people who might help us advance personally and professionally. After four years at a fantastic company, I was ready to transition to my next chapter. However, my numerous job applications come back with unfavorable responses. I was fortunate to have confided to a senior staff my intention to move on and one day she was kind enough to share a job posting and encouraged me to apply. One advantage is that she also had a rapport with the hiring company and fast-tracked my application by connecting me to the HR Manager. I was called for the 1st interview within four days and received made a job offer after several rounds of interviews.
Supporting other women can take many forms and can be as simple as sharing opportunities and connecting to influential people. Getting new a job wouldn’t have been possible if the senior staff hadn’t shared the job post and linked me to the company. I want to encourage other women in health to uplift others as they prosper and grow their network. Additionally, platforms to strengthen networking skills are needed to maintain and capitalize systems for career growth and advancement. There is power in upliftment, and success is more meaningful when you look at how many people you have pulled up with you.
Promise Mtsweni
Twitter: @ms_Prow
Linkedin: Promise Mtsweni
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