Three ways to build your professional community
Chances are you belong to at least a few different communities related to factors such as where you live (geography) and what you like to do (interests and hobbies). Doesn’t it make sense that you should have a professional community as well that is related to your work? If you are currently employed or have work history, you most likely do. At the core of each community is the presence of relationships. These are associations and interactions that you have with people. Does this sound like networking? Shhh…yes, in many ways it is, since networking is essentially connecting with people, sharing information, and maintaining relationships. However, for our purposes we will use the term building a professional community because it sounds less intimidating for some than the term networking. There are so many ways that you can build your professional community including connecting with people that have similar work-related skills and interests through professional organizations and social media platforms, securing mentors, and accessing resources specifically related to professional development.
To start, consider all of the ways that you can connect with professionals that work in your industries of interest. To start with, build relationships with your colleagues and other people you come into contact with through your current job or educational pathway. You never know where a conversation may lead (maybe to a tip about an opportunity to build your skills or learn about a new job). Next, join professional associations related to your work. These associations consist of professionals in your field and feature information about the work you all do, plus both challenges and opportunities in your industry. You can gain information from associations through their websites, email/newsletter messaging, or events and conferences (may be live or virtual). Another fantastic resource is LinkedIn, which is a professional online platform that allows you to connect with other professionals, join groups, and follow/learn about companies and organizations. You can also share content with your network, which is definitely encouraged since it helps you develop and promote your professional brand. These methods of building your professional community should be customized in order to maximize the benefits you derive from them.
Next, try to secure a professional mentor. According to Oxford Languages, a mentor is an experienced and trusted advisor. A mentor can share career-related wisdom and advice that can help you build your skills and career, plus a mentor can become a part of your professional community! Your mentor can be a very experienced professional with many years of experience or a peer that has knowledge about an area of work that you want to learn about. Or, it can also be a professional that just navigated a pathway that interests you. Do your best to engage thoughtfully with your mentor, and be sure to share information and resources that may be of benefit to your mentor whenever you can. Mentorship should be a two-way street!
Finally, you can access resources related to your professional development. These can include things such as training programs connected to transferable or technical skill development and formal education. You’ll learn from the content and connect with fellow participants and instructors. In some cases, there are other people that can become a part of your professional community through this experience including counselors, advisors, and administrators. To take it one step further, try to connect with the people you meet for informational interviews, which allow you to gain knowledge about a specific job or field as well as a new member of your professional community.
When building your professional community, it’s critical to look around you to identify all of the people and resources that can help you grow and gain both knowledge and experience. A few ways to do that include connecting through professional organizations and social media platforms, securing mentors, and accessing professional development resources. Successful communities, whether personal or professional, depend on people to interact and help each other, so don’t forget to reach out to others to see how you can support them along their career paths as well!
