As you grow in your career, you will be become more and more dependent on others to achieve your goals. This means you need constantly to build and expand your networks. A person is judged by the company he keeps - you are more likely to be successful if you build a great network around you.
These can be people you enjoy hanging out with personally, or through social media.

Given the huge dependence on social media networks to build professional networks.
Don’t rely entirely on social media; the best networking usually builds on face-to-face encounters. Attend meet-ups, join professional or business associations, attend conferences, and make use of community organisations where other professional and business people meet.
Steps to becoming an effective networker

The idea is to nurture your contacts by;

Staying in touch- make an effort to stay in touch with your contacts by sending personal e-mails, going for coffee together, or making some other personal connection.

Connecting your contacts with each other provided they do not mind.

When you meet with a member of your network, ask that person how you can be of service to him or her. The best way of attracting supportive networkers is to be one.

Sharing valuable resources or services with your network.

Collaboration- invite people in your network to join you in projects that are too big for you to handle alone and give them opportunities for business.

Attending social events.

Occasionally picking up the phone and call people to say hello and reconnect.

Stay current with posts on your social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and
Twitter.

A monthly newsletter or weekly blog post ensures that your network remembers
you. You’re providing value by delivering information that is helpful to them.

Plan to connect with the people in your network on a regular basis, but keep in mind that not all contacts are equal.

For example, you may decide it’s best to contact your closest contacts every two months, the next layer of contacts every six months, and your acquaintances once a year.
Whatever you do, don’t let yourself disappear.

Networking inside your company

Networking within the organisation is also crucial and helps you connect with your colleagues (peers) beyond your immediate work and create greater value for the company.
Try to connect with senior leaders beyond your boss to broaden your business acumen.
Connect with key players in your organisation, and make an effort to get to know other departments in your company.
All this will help you build great networks within your company walls.

Networking outside your company

Dale Carnegie is reputed to have said that you can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people, than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.
You should not just network when you have a specific need but make networking your
overall life strategy.

In the activity for this lesson we have created an exercise that will help you analyse what kind of person you already have in your network, and where you might need to look further to fill in the gaps.


Safety precautions when using social media

Social media have given us wonderfully powerful means to network – but at the same time they expose us to real danger.
One danger is that unguarded comments can be broadcast or reach an audience for which they were not intended.
The other danger is that your privacy could be invaded, giving outsiders an opportunity to commit fraud or damage your reputation.

Conclusion

Good networking has been shown to be a quality that distinguishes the best from the ordinary even in technical areas like scientific research.

The article has explored how to develop your network, and suggested that you apply this both inside and outside your organisation taking care to add value to those in your network, but not to expose yourself to exploitation.