Networking: How to grow your network as an SLP

We may be a very specialized group, but we aren’t special when it comes to networking. We all need to do it if we want to get where we are going. If even reading the word ‘networking’ makes you squirm a little bit in your seat then do yourself (and your career) a favor and redefine the term for yourself. Networking connects you to the world to help you fulfill your dreams. Have a goal? Think you can achieve it all on your own? Fat chance. We need people. Lots of them. Every success we achieve has been because we are standing on the shoulders of a giant who came before us. So how do we network our way to the right giant?

Be yourself

I think the reason people get a bad taste in their mouth when they think of networking is because it reminds us of selling ourselves: Handing out business cards at a cocktail party or talking to strangers about how great we are on an elevator. But this isn’t the only way to network and, in fact, it’s one of the least effective ways. You aren’t actually selling anything. You are creating an authentic connection on a personal level. Be yourself, take an honest interest in other people, and have fun in the process. Connecting with people you admire and look up to should be interesting and you should enjoy it.

Who should I network with?

Connecting with anybody is a good decision even if it has nothing to do with your field. You learn things you never would have thought about otherwise and you get new perspectives that help you see your work in a different way. This literally makes networking priceless because it can lead to a universe of possibilities for you. However, not every networking opportunity is created equal. There are some people you’ll want to connect with for different reasons. In most cases, connecting with the person who is in the role you want to be in one day is invaluable. Want to work in a trauma center? Talk to somebody in a trauma center? Want to be a researcher? Talk to a researcher? Want to help people with head and neck cancer? Who are the experts in the field? Read up about the person you’d like to emulate and reach out with an e-mail singing their praises and asking for some advice. You’d think most people are too busy to respond, but this is untrue. People love to help. Often these e-mails lead to phone calls, coffee dates, incredible discussions, coveted advice, and even a long-term fruitful relationship. It only takes putting yourself out there to make it happen.

Get involved

One of the best ways to network is to get involved in a community with similar interests. There are tons of organizations doing amazing things in speech pathology today. Whether it be an ASHA special interest group, a committee at work, or an initiative through your state association, you can always find people with similar goals. What are you passionate about? What would you like to see changed in the field? How can you put your skills to good use? Or even better, how can you build your skills to make sure they can be put to good use?

You get what you give

Networking doesn’t have to be, and shouldn’t be a one-sided endeavor. It’s not about what you can get out of a connection. Instead it should be about what you can make from the connection together. This can be as simple as sending an interesting article to somebody who may find it interesting or useful. Or it can be as big as writing a paper or starting a project with them. Speech pathology is a young field and there is a lot that needs to be done in terms of research, education, training, and an endless possibility of initiatives to improve care for our patients. Once you establish a track record for collaboration and creating value with and for others, people won’t see your networking attempts as begging for a handout, they’ll think about all the value you could bring to their goals. Start getting involved and start creating. See where it takes you.

Conclusion

Networking is one of the fastest and most effective ways to grow in your career. But you have to know what it is you want to do before you can discover who it is you want to connect with. Once you have that information, there will be an endless possibilities of connections out there. Finding an authentic and honest way to make those connections can be exciting and fun if we let it be. Now that you’re done reading about networking, get out there, get involved, and connect.

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