How can you use your hobbies to build your professional network? (2024)

For some people (Ahem, my husband), identifying hobbies is very easy. For others, (Ahem, ME), it is rather difficult. If you want to use hobbies to expand your network, then I recommend finding opportunities for social interactions. Think clubs, sports leagues, or online communities. Pro Tip: Don't forget to actively engage with others in these settings to truly connect with like-minded professionals.

Workshops, industry events, or even starting your own blog related to your interests allows you to stay updated, and showcase your expertise.Instead of: "I enjoy playing chess and reading."Try: "My passion for strategic thinking translates well into my career as a business analyst. I actively participate in chess tournaments and contribute to online chess forums, which allows me to network with professionals in the field and stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends. I recently started writing a blog on strategic analysis in business, attracting potential clients and demonstrating my expertise."Your passions can be a powerful tool for forging connections, acquiring knowledge, and ultimately reaching your career goals.

For me, my hobbies have always been a way to enhance my engagement with people. For example I used to read books since early childhood. So joining in group discussions with people who love books used to be that much easier. Later when I grew up, I have developed interest in volunteering. Now that really opened me a new horizon of collaboration and associating with people. Standing on platforms which required volunteers for both online and offline activities has expanded my network tremendously in the past few years. The key is to first identify your skills, and then look for the spaces where you can showcase your talents, at the same time working deliberately for improvement of your performance & growth. Interestingly it works really good.

𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧. We're not all a bunch of LinkedIn fanatics that do nothing other than reacting to and commenting on posts. 𝐖𝐞. 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞. 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬. Bring those loves to work... bring them to LinkedIn... bring them to the interview (when appropriate). 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓. We're not hiring robots... okay... well, at least not yet... bring who you are to the table, and it might just make the meal taste better!

Quick scoop: my career tips blog is my secret sauce for cool freelance connections. Picture this – chilling, sharing career advice, and bam! Connecting with awesome folks in the writing world.Virtual hangouts with freelancers? We chat work, team up on projects, and swap cool ideas. On LinkedIn, I drop career wisdom, sparking chill conversations.Best part? Blog connections turn into more than just online pals. We team up, toss around ideas, and have a laugh about the freelance life.Using my career blog for networking turns work chats into a laid-back, career-focused hangout. No stuffy events, just connecting with people who dig writing and helping others level up. Cool, right?