How to Build Your Network?
I don’t remember at what age I realized that communication was a crucial skill, but I know it hit me for real in my late teens, towards the end of university. As a devoted philology student, I was lucky to be surrounded by fellow enthusiasts — friends who loved spending hours in the library searching for original texts, or watching films without dubbing just to catch the authentic language.
That awareness of communication’s power culminated in my lead role in our university's graduation play — My Fair Lady by Bernard Shaw, staged by our faculty in Melitopol. Yes, I played Eliza Doolittle, and to this day, I still remember my lines. Maybe, just maybe, I’ve even unknowingly brought a few of them into my own life...
Networking is such a broad topic that I debated whether to break it into several short articles or go with one long piece. In the end, I decided to focus on just two key things that have helped me nurture existing relationships and build new ones over the past year and a half — in both my professional and personal life.
First, there was a dilemma I couldn’t ignore: should I keep posting on Facebook — a platform I was comfortable with, but one that’s blocked on my work computer — or switch to LinkedIn, the go-to place for professional content and personal brand-building? Choosing both meant doubling the effort, but potentially doubling the impact.
And then there’s my still-unfinished website — the one where I dream of gathering all my stories, insights, and lessons in one place. One day, I tell myself… but for now, I keep writing where I can.
Why am I starting with this?
Despite all the obvious downsides of Facebook and social networks in general, 90% of my useful connections were made right here. And that continues to surprise me. The speakers I invited to companies for training, job opportunities, great job vacancies, PR for companies I worked for, the apartment in Poland where we stayed for three months after the full-scale invasion, help with tickets to Canada, our family here who took us in and helped with documents — these are just a few of the people I’ve found here on Facebook.
I also built a pretty decent Canadian network through my posts on LinkedIn, but that's a different story.
So, here’s my advice:
Social Media Is Incredibly Useful.
It’s important to develop your presence thoughtfully, with creative and unique content that will help you stand out. You might think, “I don’t know what to write” or “I’m not good at writing,” but trust me, you know more than you think.
It’s just like any other work — you sit down and do it. And now, with the wonderful assistant that is GPT Chatbot, you can even have the writing done for you. But, of course, you still need to edit! One of my favorite approaches is “Fast is slow, but every day.”
Regular posts increase your visibility and make your profile stand out. Accounts should be alive. I’ve seen people searching for housing, hosts, or jobs in Canada with completely empty profiles. Naturally, this won’t work.
There’s an unwritten rule in some places — “It’s uncool to promote yourself when you work for a specific company.” Some organizations even include clauses in employment agreements restricting outside professional activity. I’m not talking about conflicts of interest or intellectual property; I’m referring to the stereotype that “if you’re promoting yourself, you must not have enough work to do.” Or that “you’re just bragging.” Well, after working at Deloitte Canada for nearly 10 months and going through the challenges of finding work in a massive country on a different continent with no connections — let me tell you, that’s all nonsense.
Talking about yourself is essential. It’s not self-promotion or bragging; it’s about building relationships with the world around you. How is the world supposed to know who you are and what you do if you don’t tell them? You might say, “Professionals get found without social networks,” and yes, sometimes that happens.
However, those situations are exceptional. Why not contribute to making it happen today?
“Why build my profile if I already have a job?” Haha... You never know when something will happen — a war, a pandemic, or something else — and you may need to leave your beloved job.
You never know what opportunity might come your way tomorrow.
It could be in the US, Europe, or Australia. But how will they know you exist? How will they form their first impression of you? Through feedback and recommendations? That’s great!
But even better if you tell them about yourself — your results, your professional journey.
Self-Advocacy is a Constant Process.
Self-marketing should never depend on whether you currently have a job. Because — as the saying goes — you never know.
In reality, self-marketing is just as essential inside your company as it is outside of it. The SHRM* certification program even includes an entire chapter on “Allyship in the Workplace,” which explores how to build internal networks within your team and industry. Still, many of us grow up thinking that being “well-connected” implies something shady — like manipulation, fake charm, or self-promotion at the expense of others.
But here’s the truth: it’s easy to tell the difference. Meet someone in a project. Check their background. Ask about diplomas or certifications. Often, a short conversation, a glance at social media, or a look at their professional profile is all it takes to know whether you’re dealing with a fraud — or with a talented person simply wrestling with imposter syndrome.
Critical thinking, common sense, and a bit of luck (or rather, careful attention to detail) go a long way.
Thanks to my most recent webinar and the fact that I talked about it, I got an interview invitation from a company in the US looking for a Learning Director. I didn’t go to the interview, but it was a valuable connection.
You can’t always predict what will work in a given situation, but that’s only one thing — it means you need to keep trying.
Every day. And it will work out.
After several years of working on your profiles, you’ll be amazed at how these social networks start working for you.
*Society for Human Resource Management.
May 4, 2023.