Rutherford Cross Consultant, Gillian O’Neil provides an overview of her top four tips for growing your professional network.
In order to have a successful career, you need to have the knowledge and skills to perform well and the drive and ambition to continuously improve. As much as training, technical skills and certifications are undeniably crucial, an often overlooked yet equally important aspect of professional success is networking. For accountants, effective networking can open doors to career advancement, knowledge sharing, and personal growth. Rutherford Cross has previously published a blog on the benefits of networking, which you can find here.
Now we know why we should be networking, we thought to offer some advice on how to incorporate it into your work life. This blog offers four practical tips for building and maintaining a robust professional network.
1. Attend Industry Events
Participate in conferences, seminars, and workshops related to accounting and finance. These events are excellent opportunities to meet industry leaders and fellow accountants. At Rutherford Cross, we host regular seminars as part of our ‘Planning Your Career’ event series, which is aimed at fully and part-qualified accountants. These events are hosted by a variety of senior finance leaders, who provide insight into their career development and offer advice to those in the earlier stages of their careers. The series is also a great platform for networking with fellow accountants.
Alongside our seminars, we host regular ‘meet-ups’ and networking events, such as the ‘Ladies in Finance Group’ and the ‘Future Finance Leader Forums’, and you can find more information on these via our events page.
2. Leverage Online Platforms
LinkedIn is a great platform to connect with industry professionals, join relevant groups, and participate in discussions. We recommend sharing your expertise by posting articles, commenting on posts, and engaging with your network here regularly. At Rutherford Cross, we use LinkedIn not only to market the opportunities we have available, but also to provide relevant industry updates and invitations to upcoming events. You can view our LinkedIn page here.
3. Offer Value
Networking is about building genuine relationships and offering help and value to others. You can do this by sharing your knowledge, celebrating the successes of the contacts in your network, and even introducing connections to one another who could benefit from knowing each other. At Rutherford Cross, we have a vast network of finance professionals across Scotland and are always happy to offer advice and connect our network.
4. Follow Up and Stay Connected
After meeting new contacts, it can be far more memorable if you follow up by sending a message or email to reinforce the connection. We recommend mentioning something specific from your conversation to make your message stand out. Embrace networking as an ongoing effort and you’ll find it pays dividends throughout your career.
One of our values here at Rutherford Cross is ‘together we achieve more’ and we follow this by encouraging all our clients and candidates to build meaningful relationships throughout their careers. Networking is more than just a buzzword; it’s a vital component of professional success. By building and nurturing a strong network, you can unlock numerous opportunities for career advancement, knowledge sharing, and personal development.
To find out more information on our upcoming networking events and how you can get involved, please get in touch with Gillian O’Neil.
+447432482882 / [email protected].
