10 Tips for Executive Assistants to Grow Their Professional Networking Skills

With so many channels and platforms available that allow professionals to connect with one another, executive assistants can easily build a network of like-minded professionals. Professional networking has always been imperative for those who wish to develop respect, recognition, and their own merit within their industry. Nowadays, networking has blossomed into a simplified process that has evolved beyond traditional methods of networking.

While there may be an abundance of channels for marketing yourself and growing your network, there are a few things to keep in mind. As with marketing any service or product, you’ll need to highlight what makes you unique while tying yourself to the standards of your profession.

Best Ways to Grow Professional Networks

When seeking to grow and bolster your professional network, remember that some tips and tricks could come in handy. Here are 10 key tips for executive assistants to grow their professional networks. Let’s get started!

1. Prove Your Value

Proving your value doesn’t just mean posting accolades. First, you’ll need to achieve many accomplishments using your unique skill set. Prove your effectiveness as an executive assistant to those you work with to showcase your value. Being part of a tightly knit team allows you to work closely with others and show them why you are valuable. This, in turn, will provide a source from which your value can be proven.

2. Communicate Often

In order to build a network, you must communicate often and regularly. This means reaching out to others via your professional channels and opening yourself up to conversation. What is networking if not conversing with those of a similar background and fostering trust while you support each other in becoming better?

3. Offer Support

Offering support to others interested in professional networking is a key step in proving value as well as expanding your network. One good deed always leads to another. So, if someone needs help networking, don’t be afraid to lend a helping hand!

4. Be Present 

With networking going digital, you’ll need to be present on all of your platforms. You’ll also want to be communicative on those platforms and interact with others in order to build a sense of relevancy. 

5. Be Willing to Connect

Willingness to connect with others is crucial. Even if someone’s profession doesn’t fall under your particular industry, you can still accept their request to connect. On the flip side, don’t be afraid to reach out to those who may seem of a higher status than you. You can learn new things from anyone! Willingness to connect is essential to building a network.

6. Build Relationships

Once you connect with someone, don’t be afraid to meet them in person! A lot more can be said and done in person than over an email or direct message. Face-to-face communication will always reign supreme as one of the most vital ways to build and foster great professional relationships. 

7. Hear Instead of Listening 

Listening is essentially making sense of words and actions in the order in which they are delivered and how they are presented. Hearing someone is a path toward understanding. Take time to understand why someone does or says what they do. By understanding where someone is coming from, you can show your value and foster even more intimate business relationships. 

8. Ask Questions

Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you build a network. After all, what’s the point of building a network if you can’t learn from those you connect with? Ask questions about your connections’ industries, trades, experiences, likes, dislikes, etc. You may even learn something new that could help you as an executive assistant! 

9. Tolerate Rejection

Rejection and failure are the ultimate teachers. When someone rejects you, you can contemplate why it happened and begin to understand what you could have done differently or whether or not that particular connection was even worth it in the first place. This will help you narrow down who you’d like to connect with. 

10. Follow Up With Connections

Don’t be afraid to reach out once in a while! Check-in with your connections, and ask how they’re doing. You could be just who they were waiting to talk to! Who knows? You could also learn something new. 

Excited to Build A Network?

Essentially, great networking boils down to marketing yourself and your skills as an executive assistant effectively. Be sure to check out the American Society of Administrative Professionals for more help! ASAP is dedicated to helping professionals reach new heights and discover new things that will help them become better individuals. If you’d like to expand your network, check out ASAP’s 8 Networking Mistakes to Avoid.