When to Build My People Network?

The quick answer: Immediately.

The best time to start building professional relationships is long before you need them.

If you wait until you're looking for a new job, a recommendation, or career advice, you've waited too long. The first time your network helps you, you'll understand just how valuable it can be.

Now that I've convinced you to start now, let's talk a little about getting started.

Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to mentor many young professionals just graduating from college. Many came from other countries and hoped to build both their careers—and their lives—in the United States.

Naturally, they formed close friendships with others from their own country or region. Those friendships were important, but professionally their friends also knew very few Americans despite having lived here for four years. Most of the people in their network were the same age, had similar experiences, and were just beginning their careers themselves. They had also not been encouraged to pursue internships related to their career goals.

Don't miss this. The problem wasn't that these students were from other countries, the issue was that their People Network (the people they knew professionally) was not diverse enough to help them much. Their friendships were genuine and important. The challenge was that their network consisted almost entirely of people who were in exactly the same stage of life they were.

I found myself giving them the same advice I would give any young professional—but these graduates were already behind because they had such a small and limited network of people.

Their situation taught me a lesson I’ve never forgotten. By the time you need a professional network, it’s already late to begin building one.

I was able to introduce some of them to professionals in their field, but they were starting from behind because they had no job experience. No one had encouraged them to pursue internships, volunteer opportunities, professional organizations, or mentors while they were still in school. They had spent years building friendships but very little time building a professional network.

Colleges do an excellent job teaching technical skills. Few schools spend time teaching students how careers actually develop through relationships.

Professional relationships often develop naturally, but depending on your personality, career path, and work environment, that process can take years.

Fortunately, most of us already have places to start.

• family
• neighbors
• professors
• internships
• former employers
• coaches
• church leaders
• volunteer leaders

If you are still a student, one of the most powerful ways to develop professional relationships is through internships. Work hard to find one. Even if you don't win the internship, even interviewing is a valuable way to learn and make connections. If you get the internship, be deliberate about learning and meeting people.

**The key is to be intentional about building relationships.**Put yourself into situations to meet new people. If you want to learn something new find someone who knows it already. I have coached my kids to find people who have the job they want in the future and connect with them.

My niece is pursuing a very specialized branch of psychology. She found a woman in this field who was also a professor. They connected over their common research interest, and my niece received some valuable career advice and connections that helped her choose the right college for her. The professor wrote a letter of recommendation for her too.

My niece didn't expect all this. She didn't contact the professor to get the letter. She just wanted to talk. This is often how it works. Find interesting people, people who know more than you, or have the career you want. Most people are happy to talk. In fact, many people are flattered that you noticed their achievements and sought them out.

If you think about it, all my niece did was ask for help.

Your future career will be shaped by what you know. It will also be shaped by the people you know.

Start building those relationships now.

This article is just the beginning. Throughout this blog I explore how to build, maintain, and strengthen professional relationships. If you'd like to learn more, I hope you'll keep reading.