Your Professional Network: 5 Ways to Stay Connected Online and In Person

There are many ways to expand your network. When you’ve met someone at an event, whether it was in person or online, connect with them on LinkedIn. In your connection request’s message include a brief message about your meeting earlier that day/week, reminding them of who you are, your affiliation, and/or your conversation with them.

Now that you’re connected, it’s important to stay in touch because relationships need maintenance. LinkedIn and other social media platforms, as well as email, offer ways of keeping in touch with contacts and nurturing professional relationships. Below are five tips on how to stay connected with your professional network.

1. Like and Comment

Allot some time in your job search to thoughtfully and intentionally interact with professionals in your network on LinkedIn. If appropriate, like or comment on their posts if you have read and appreciate the content. If a contact in your network starts a new position, consider sending a congratulatory note. The key is to connect and engage with intent!

2. Create Content on LinkedIn

You can get even more involved on LinkedIn by sharing posts that resonate with you, posting your own content, and writing articles on topics that interest you. The more active your profile is, the more people will notice you and interact with you on LinkedIn.

3. Say “Yes” to Invitations

When invited to an in-person or virtual event, accept the invitation. While this may seem natural to extroverts, this can be a bit daunting to introverts. Check out this Forbes article on Networking for Introverts and this Medium article titled I am an introvert, and this is how I network to gain insights on how to network more comfortably and confidently.

Attending different events gives you the opportunity to nurture and grow your network. By interacting with other professionals and making an effort to genuinely connect with your network, your name may come to mind when someone in your network knows of an opportunity.

4. Ask for Advice or Help.

It turns out that people enjoy helping others. One thing we’ve heard from established artists or arts professionals is that they want to help others in their field. Don’t hesitate to ask people in your network for advice or help making connections. Just be sure to ask in a way that’s genuine and considerate of their time. If they don’t get back to you immediately, do not assume they are not interested in helping! Give them a few days before sending a gentle follow-up email that recognizes their busy schedule.

5. Extend a Coffee Invite.

Set a goal to reach out to one professional you’re interested in learning from every two weeks. Plan to meet for coffee (your treat) or meet on Zoom to learn about the decisions or experiences that shaped their career.

– Mary-kate Grohoski, Sales Manager

Put these tips to use by finding your next job on NYFA Classifieds, the go-to listings site for artists, arts administrators, and museum professionals. Follow us @nyfa_classifieds on TikTok for more creative career tips.