Building a Strong Professional Network for Effective CPD
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is all about ongoing growth, helping you to adapt, develop and improve throughout your career. However, there is one element of CPD that is often overlooked – and that is the value of a strong professional network.
A strong network isn’t just a list of contacts, but rather a source of ideas, support and opportunities that contribute to your professional growth.
In this blog, we will explore why networking is integral to CPD, tactics to build meaningful professional relationships and how you can incorporate networking into your CPD plan.
The Academy’s team of occupationally competent and appropriately qualified trainers can offer any of its vocational qualifications, and facilitate any topic, as a CPD event for you and your colleagues. In addition, the Academy offers a range of existing CPD courses to aid your development. To find out more, contact the Academy here.
The Role of Networking
There are various networking formats – these can occur online or in-person, through activities such as industry events, professional associations, LinkedIn and coworker collaboration.
Networking aids CPD in a plethora of ways:
• It gives you exposure to new ideas and perspectives of strategies or approaches that others have used
• It helps you to discover emerging trends, technologies and policies that you might not have otherwise known
• It can expand your access to learning opportunities, as the more people you know, the more likely you are to hear about courses, workshops and webinars
• It helps you reflect on your approach by obtaining constructive feedback from others
• It builds skills such as communication and relationship management, which are essential in the majority of professions
Benefits of a Robust Professional Network
Creates New Opportunities
Your personal connections can result in job referrals or recommendations, giving you access to opportunities you wouldn’t have otherwise been exposed to.
Expands your Knowledge
Discussions with other professionals provides valuable perspectives on industry insights and best practices, enabling you to learn from their experiences.
Fosters a Support System
Encouragement, feedback and advice can be obtained from your network, helping you navigate challenging projects or periods of transition.
Builds Confidence & Communication Skills
Interacting with different professionals elevates your interpersonal abilities, making it easier to approach others, pitch ideas and advocate for yourself.
Top Tactics for Networking
Craft a Compelling Elevator Pitch
A succinct yet persuasive introduction should effectively detail who you are, what you do and what you’re interested in, in order to set you up for a successful conversation.
Ask Thought-Provoking Questions
Be inquisitive by asking questions that stimulate an engaging discussion, such as ‘What brought you into this field’ or ‘Are you working on any exciting projects?’.
Talk Less & Listen More
Everyone has unique experiences and skills – becoming a good listener ensures that you can learn from these individuals.
Take the Time to Follow-Up
Send an email or a message that thanks them for their time, ensuring to mention a specific fact or detail from your conversation as this shows it made an impact on you.
Use LinkedIn Wisely
Sending personalised connection requests to new acquaintances helps to consolidate the relationship – providing updates on your projects and commenting on their content also helps you to continually engage with them.
Attend Relevant Events
Identify potential events, conferences or industry meetups that are pertinent to your role, as this will help you expand your network in an organic way.
Follow-Up Again
Touch base with those in your network every so often, even if it’s just a quick catch-up or sharing something interesting – long-term rapport is crucial in forming a robust network.
Incorporating Networking into Your CPD Plan
While it may not seem like a formal learning activity, networking helps you gain new insights, develop skills and reflect upon your previous experiences, making it important to CPD.
As a result, it’s key to log these activities in your CPD portfolio, including the following information:
• Describe the context of the activity – include the format of networking (for example, a conference, workshop or discussion) and who was involved
• Explain what you learned – detail the specific insights or knowledge gained from the interaction
• Reflect on the impact – explore the importance of the networking activity and how it will change your practise going forward
• Link to your development objectives – align the activity with your development objectives to highlight the impact it had
• Record the date and duration – include these details to provide a clear timeline of your development
Final Thoughts
Make sure to nurture meaningful relationships with the professionals you encounter – you never know what valuable insights you could gain or exciting opportunities you could unlock.
The Academy offers a wide range of CPD courses to expand your knowledge, in addition to qualifications that support the reduction of crime. Contact the team today to transform your skills.