Networking as Professional Capacity Building

by Gwen Garrison, PhD

One of the essential skills for emerging professionals is to connect with like-minded people. Often this is referred to as networking. I see this activity as investing in your own capacity building. In this blog I share 4 ways I use networking to build my personal capacity as a business intelligence analyst and data storyteller.

1. Connect with professional communities within your industry area.
   If you are working for a non-profit that serves a specific industry community, learn as much as you can about how that industry community frames its work, problems, and requirements for solutions. Data & BI analysts need to connect with their core audiences both internally and externally by acquiring the language they use, metaphors they understand, and vision for their own communities. The ability to nuance an answer based on the subtilties of the question is key to success. Strive to listen to, and talk with, other experienced industry people.
2. Connect with like-minded people who are doing similar work.
   For the last two decades, the focus on my work has been on business intelligence. While I trained as a researcher (with advanced statistics and methodologies), I needed to learn how to talk and share my insights with industry managers and leaders. This requires a broader array of skills including new ways to visualize data and tell data stories to people who are industry-level content experts. One of the new journals and societies that gathers people from around the global is the Data Visualization Society. It is easy join and their quarterly publication on new data visualization presentations often inspires me to think from multiple perspectives that can appeal to industry experts.
3. Find good short-term mentors.
   Look around on social sites and at conferences for good mentors. Think of these connections as short-term that may give you specific advice or other connective opportunities. Occasionally, these turn into other longer-term connections but manage your expectations as many professionals are busy. Remain open and respectful of the energy dynamic.
4. Think beyond conferences and use your professional development funds for micro credentialing.
   Being self-taught can accelerate your insight building and add exposure to, and basic proficiency in, key areas. But don't stop there. Look for at least one way to demonstrate your new skills and knowledge. Employers love to see their staff apply what they learn and demonstrate the benefits of their new skills and knowledge.

Finally, I hope I demonstrated that networking can and does go beyond just professional social activities. Creating intentional plans and intersections with 'learning spaces' can provide terrific networking benefits. Get started today.