How can you help your mentees network more effectively?

Networking is a vital skill for any professional, but especially for those who want to advance their careers, learn new things, and find new opportunities. As a mentor, you can help your mentees network more effectively by sharing your own experiences, tips, and contacts, as well as by encouraging them to develop their own networking style and goals. In this article, you will learn how to help your mentees network more effectively by following these six steps:

1 Assess their needs

Before you start giving advice on networking, you need to understand your mentees' needs, goals, and challenges. Ask them questions like: What are they hoping to achieve through networking? Who are they interested in connecting with? What are their strengths and weaknesses as networkers? How do they prefer to communicate and build relationships? By assessing their needs, you can tailor your guidance to their specific situation and help them overcome any barriers or fears they may have.

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Laurent Dumoulin

Transforming leaders. Making hybrid working work. Creating breakthrough thinking. Agile Coach.
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It is important to clarify your role from the start so that the mentee understands that you are not here to make connections without them having some clear objectives in place. The first step is to help them do their own research about the network they would like to build. Of course, you can help open doors but it cannot be the starting point of a mentoring relationship.

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2 Share your story

One of the best ways to inspire and motivate your mentees is to share your own networking story. Tell them how you started networking, what challenges you faced, what successes you had, and what lessons you learned. Be honest and authentic, and show them how networking has helped you grow personally and professionally. You can also share some examples of how you network in different situations, such as online, at events, or through referrals. By sharing your story, you can help your mentees see the value and potential of networking, as well as give them some ideas and tips to apply to their own networking.

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Laurent Dumoulin

Transforming leaders. Making hybrid working work. Creating breakthrough thinking. Agile Coach.
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It is crucial to go through some of the challenges so that they do not feel overwhelmed by the task ahead and do not feel alone in their endeavours.

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3 Teach them the basics

While networking is not a one-size-fits-all skill, there are some basic principles and practices that can help your mentees network more effectively. Teach them the basics of networking, such as how to research potential contacts, how to craft a compelling introduction, how to ask open-ended questions, how to listen actively, how to follow up, and how to maintain relationships. You can also teach them some etiquette and ethics of networking, such as how to respect boundaries, how to ask for favors, how to give value, and how to avoid spamming or annoying people. By teaching them the basics, you can help your mentees develop a solid foundation and confidence for networking.

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Laurent Dumoulin

Transforming leaders. Making hybrid working work. Creating breakthrough thinking. Agile Coach.
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One of the most powerful things to teach them is the way to approach new people. You need to show an understanding of the person's reality. For instance, recognising they may be busy. You need to show you have done your research about them, what they do and what they could offer you. It is important to offer them something you could do to help, even if it is a promise to keep your first conversation brief but to the point and efficient.

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Greig Orrell

Executive Business Coach at Growth Idea | Transforming high-potential businesses into profitable powerhouses
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Emphasise the value of authenticity - encourage them to be genuine and interested in others during interactions. Teach them the importance of a compelling elevator pitch, and a concise introduction that highlights their strengths and goals. Guide them in setting clear networking objectives, whether it's expanding industry connections or seeking mentorship. And then personally, I share my experiences of successful networking, highlighting the impact of active listening and follow-up.

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4 Introduce them to your network

Another way to help your mentees network more effectively is to introduce them to your own network. You can leverage your existing connections and relationships to help your mentees expand their network and access new opportunities. You can introduce them to people who share their interests, goals, or challenges, who can offer them advice, feedback, or support, or who can open doors for them in their desired field or industry. You can also invite them to join you at networking events or online platforms where they can meet new people and learn new things. By introducing them to your network, you can help your mentees build their credibility and visibility, as well as show them that you trust and value them.

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5 Encourage them to experiment

While you can offer your mentees guidance and support, you cannot network for them. They need to take action and experiment with different networking strategies and methods to find out what works best for them. Encourage them to experiment with different ways of networking, such as attending different events, joining different groups, reaching out to different people, or using different tools. Encourage them to be curious, creative, and flexible, and to learn from their successes and failures. By encouraging them to experiment, you can help your mentees discover their own networking style and preferences, as well as develop their skills and confidence.

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Earle Drury

Student Accounts Manager Eurasia | Leading with Compassion | Advocate for Youth Empowerment
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A barrier to effective networking is often fear. Fear of being judged, overstepping boundaries, not looking intelligent etc. Experimentation at its core is about taking risk. A way to overcome that risk is by confronting it. Start with what do you feel when trying to network? What does it feel like after you established a connection with someone? What does it feel like when you are unable to establish that connection? This will create an opportunity to explore why the perceived risk outweighs the benefit for the mentee. Only one a risk has been identified can it be managed. Taking a risk-based approach shifts the focus from "I don't like networking" to "I can manage the risk of saying the wrong thing by...."

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6 Provide feedback and support

Finally, you can help your mentees network more effectively by providing them with feedback and support. You can give them constructive feedback on their networking efforts, such as what they did well, what they can improve, and what they can try next. You can also provide them with support, such as celebrating their achievements, acknowledging their challenges, offering your advice, or connecting them with resources. By providing feedback and support, you can help your mentees improve their networking performance and outcomes, as well as strengthen your relationship with them.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you help your mentees network more effectively?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess their needs

2 Share your story

3 Teach them the basics

4 Introduce them to your network

5 Encourage them to experiment

6 Provide feedback and support

7 Here’s what else to consider

Mentoring

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How can you help your mentees network more effectively?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess their needs

2 Share your story

3 Teach them the basics

4 Introduce them to your network

5 Encourage them to experiment

6 Provide feedback and support

7 Here’s what else to consider

Mentoring

Rate this article

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