Found a New Job? Network Yourself to Success

You’ve worked hard to secure the job that is perfect for you, now what? When a candidate has secured a new position, the tendency is to immediately start thinking about the first 90 days in the role, and that is a good thing since your performance in those three months will determine if you are asked to stay beyond the probation period. But onboarding isn’t the only important thing to be concerned about. Most people know that networking is important, but when they think of networking, they are thinking about their relationships outside of work. They seldom think of building strong ties internally. Building key relationship are critical for long-term success on the job – you can network yourself to success.

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And when you are new to an organization, you are the new kid on the block, so you want to play it safe, but that’s not the way to go, you will be judged early because you are that new kid on the block who has to prove herself. If you are unsure of whom to network with, first, network with the people who have held the position you are now in to understand what’s expected of you, and how your work will be measured.

Second, observe and take note of who you think are the influencers and power brokers within the organization. To confirm what you suspect based on your observations, ask your boss to identify the key people for you to meet. Observing and taking note of workplace dynamics and interrelationships between people is a key skill to develop. Without being too obvious, start building relationships with the key people identified, and they should work across departments and hierarchies – find out what their goals are and help them to achieve them.

Third, find someone above your boss to mentor you. If you choose the right mentor, they will help you to expand your internal network of contacts, become aware of the unwritten rules, as well as help you to quickly learn the critical success factors for thriving within the organization.

By doing impeccable work, and following these three steps, you are setting yourself up for success because you are building a strong internal network of contacts.