As one of the most effective ways to meet new people, enhance your expertise and stay in-the-know about the latest industry news, professional networking is an important aspect of personal and career advancement. The only way to truly benefit from online or face-to-face networking is to be an active participant.
Professional Networking In Person and Online
To enhance professional stature and make new contacts, many land professionals become involved in both online and offline industry conversations. Between the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS), Land Surveyors United and others, surveyors have numerous opportunities to gather with like-minded industry professionals. Use the following four tips to enhance your professional networking skills:
- Monitor job opportunities. Thanks to the internet, staying updated with the latest employment information and industry news is no longer a chore. Register with leading websites, like Point of Beginning and Amerisurv.com, to stay in-the-know and take advantage of upcoming networking opportunities.
- Network like the pros. A savvy networker invests energy where it will provide the highest return. On CourthouseSquare.com, surveyors have access to an extensive database of land, legal and real estate professionals sorted by county and specialty. Claim your profile and browse those of other professionals and businesses in a few clicks to broaden networking opportunities.
- Start forum conversations. Participate in online conversations hosted by industry-specific sites to share your knowledge and expertise with others. Highlight your strengths while genuinely helping other professionals on sites like Surveyorconnect.com and Land Surveyors United.
- Follow up with contacts. Waiting until the next event to follow up with new contacts simply isn’t enough. To stay fresh in the minds of colleagues, make an effort to follow up regularly. Set aside a chunk of time weekly to reach out to other professionals or leads.
- Increase visibility. Both the National Society of Professional Surveyors and Land Surveyors United provide land professionals with an opportunity to increase online and offline visibility. Claiming your profile within industry-specific directories is an effective way to get noticed by peers and potential employers.
Annually, multiple events and competitions take place in the United States and abroad designed to bring surveyors together in celebration of the industry. Of these, the annual plat map competition held by the NSPS, Survey Earth in a Day 3D and International Surveyor’s Week are highly anticipated by industry professionals.
Social Media
A topic present in both online and offline conversations, social media is slowly replacing traditional word-of-mouth and print communication. Whether you’re reaching out to colleagues on LinkedIn or monitoring the NSPS Twitter feed for the most recent industry news, following these four tips will establish your presence on social media while creating a position of authority in the industry:
- Put time into your profile. As your one chance to make a great first impression, social media profiles should be treated with the same care and consideration you would give a professional resume.
- Be selective. Often, the excitement of finding like-minded professionals online inspires surveyors to send out mass invites or hastily introduce contacts to one another. Instead, professionals should be selective about adding friends and making recommendations.
- Get noticed with content. Publish a variety of content to keep contacts interested in your profile and part of the ongoing conversation. Use images, video and infographics to attract viewers and make new contacts.
- Find colleagues and peers. Use LinkedIn as an opportunity to find other industry professionals and groups. Specifically, joining The American Surveyor and Professional Land Surveyor groups on LinkedIn opens the doors of communication with fellow land professionals.
Make a Commitment to Networking
From social media to industry competitions and events, professional networking is a powerful tool enabling you to make life-long connections and cultivate peer relationships. Make a reasonable commitment to networking with others, whether online or in person, and your career will thank you.
*Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
