The Value of Networking—Opportunities Are Out There!

What does it really mean to network? Is it keeping your social media profiles up to date and accepting new connections? Is it pushing away your shy side and introducing yourself to someone at a function? In truth, networking encompasses a lot of things, and if elevating your career is important to you (and if it’s not, stop reading!), networking in the eye care industry, or any industry, can open new doors and opportunities. Networking the right way, however, takes time and a well thought out plan.

Find Your Yoda

Whether you work for a large frame manufacturer or a small optometrist office, there is probably a co-worker you admire--that person who shies away from petty gossip and wants to help and mentor less experienced co-workers. Internal networking can build life-long friendships and bring opportunities. The Yoda in the office is one who teaches and encourages you to be mindful, patient, and to learn from others’ successes and failures.

Ask And You Shall Receive

We all know that person who joins every Facebook group or goes to that next self-help seminar — and that’s not a bad thing. For mindful people, self-improvement is a journey that lasts a lifetime, but finding external organizations, like the OWA, that believe in helping women in the optics industry succeed, makes it all the better. The Optical Women’s Association has live and virtual events, including Fireside Chats, that meet you where you’re at and are a great opportunity to "gather, network, and grow—personally and professionally”. You’d be surprised at how many powerful women CEOs and board members who are willing and excited to talk with you.

Pro-tip for meeting people: everyone likes to talk about themselves, have a handful of questions in your back pocket and ask someone about their career journey:

• How did you get into the optical industry?

• As a female leader, what have you learned?

• What would you go back in time and tell your early career self?

  
  

Have those go-to questions ready so you can learn from others and when you listen, not only will you learn, but you’ll probably be remembered by someone who could one day advance your career. If funds are a concern, speak up! Most larger companies and many smaller companies are willing to pay for events and classes that help their employees grow professionally.

Grow Socially, The Right Way

LinkedIn can be a very useful networking channel if you know how to use it — people participate on LinkedIn for different reasons. Some people use it for thought leadership and some read and write about topics they are passionate about. Connection requests can be tempting but accepting them every time can lead you down a digital rabbit hole. Only accept connection requests if they are a valuable person to have in your network. Ask yourself, "how will this connection benefit me and my career?” Be purposeful in your connections or your feed will be cluttered with posts that have nothing to do with you or your industry.

Facebook still has a strong presence and is a favorite among opticians. Joining other professionals on closed Facebook or LinkedIn groups or starting a group of your own can also be of value. Like any social platform that comes along, you should be selective. Instagram is a good place to grow your professional brand and connect with the optics community. Going old school doesn’t hurt either — most cities, big and small, have a Chamber of Commerce — which is another great way to network and find people with similar career interests.

Volunteer

It’s often hard to carve out time to volunteer to industry trade organizations or local charities, but volunteering is a natural way to grow connections because it’s built on a common purpose. Find a cause you care about, and you’ll find there are thousands of organizations that can use help. When you volunteer, you meet people who share your passion and that’s a connection worth much more than a few hours of time every month. If you don’t know where to start, Volunteer Match is a good place to find opportunities in your local town.

Network With A Purpose

Someone smart once said, "the opposite of net-working is not-working.” This of course is not entirely true, but if growing your career is important to you, networking is essential. However, it’s not one avenue or one space. Start early and be open-minded to different opportunities and events. If you’re a student, make alumni connections on social media, and you’ll find you have more in common than you think. Networking with a purpose will pay off in the long run, and one day you may find yourself as a CEO mentoring someone brave enough to introduce themselves to you.

Written by M.A. Giorgio