My #1 Secret For Building Your Network - Work It Daily

My #1 Secret For Building Your Network - Work It Daily We’re all busy. In fact, many people these days think that if you aren’t busy, you’re boring. So, you’re always on the go â€" commuting to work, meeting a friend, going to the gym, planning birthday parties, squeezing family time in somewhere, catching up on your favorite shows… the list goes on! Related: 4 Ways To Take Ownership Of Your Career In all of your busy-ness, you probably don’t set aside too much time for networking. You might think, “Who has TIME to network?” Uh, you do - if you want to take control of your career! Before you call me crazy, hear me out. Think about your typical day for a second. How much time to you spend playing on your phone? WHEN do you find yourself playing on your phone? It could be waiting for the bus, during the commercials of your favorite TV show, or while you’re sweatin’ it up on the elliptical machine. Just think: If you spent that time networking instead of playing Candy Crush or Bubble Shooter, you could be on your way to a new job or more clients! (If you've read any of our articles for the Professional Independence Project, you know why this is so important for your business-of-one!) When you only have 5-10 minutes a day to spare, you need to use it wisely. So, what’s my #1 secret for building your network? Tweet your heart out I love Twitter. I think it’s one of the best networking tools out there, honestly. You can tweet almost anyone you’d like and it requires minimal effort. One thing I like to do when I’m taking a walk break on the treadmill is to cruise through my feed and follow people who brand themselves as experts or influencers in my field. If I like what they’re all about, I reach out to them somehow â€"whether it’s a tweet or a LinkedIn request â€" and start a conversation. Avoid looking like a creepy stalker person by explaining yourself. Tell them why you’re reaching out right up front. Do you enjoy their articles? Do you find their insight refreshing? Tell them. Then, retweet their stuff, send them a personalized LinkedIn invitation, and start a real conversation. #Fearless #EasyAsPie #Hashtags So, start following people who share your interests, tweeting at ‘em, and embracing hashtags (you know you want to!). Tweet, tweet!     Denys Prykhodov / Shutterstock.com Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!