One thing I’ve found helpful is creating/joining a community of like-minded professionals whose academic interests align with yours. Online forums, whatsapp groups, etc can be utilised for this purpose. Sharing your own work experiences and publications with others for review and doing the same for others helps everyone grow! Similarly attending conferences where true networking is encouraged will also help you create good friends or peers in various sectors of your field which may help in career growth!

I have made some professional progress, a critical input to my career advancement partly owing to the import of networking. In 2019, upon successfully passing the MPE (Mandatory Profession Exams), I became a full professional member of Africa's largest professional body - the Nigeria Institute of Management, NIM (Chartered). The timely information for the process, including the sponsorship, was a product of network - colleagues at work. More importantly, my preparation for the MPE was encouraged by team prep. The team prep was a collaboration between a colleague of mine and me - this went a long way to enhance the quality of our preparation. Establishing and maintaining networks should be taken seriously as the benefits abound massively.

O networking é uma ferramenta poderosa para avançar na carreira no Ensino Superior. Ele permite que você troque conhecimentos, descubra oportunidades de colaboração, e se conecte com mentores e líderes da área. Construir uma rede sólida pode abrir portas para novas posições e projetos, além de proporcionar suporte e inspiração ao longo da sua trajetória profissional.

Highly recommend getting involved in staff organizations on your campus! It’s a great way to connect with colleagues across campus whom you might not otherwise meet, and to learn about other areas of the university. The more we know within the institution, the better we can serve our students.

There is a heavy focus on mentors, but often, what folks really need is a coach. Check to see if your institution offers any coaching support - it can be helpful for a lot of different aspects, from leadership to productivity to career advancement and more. If coaching isn’t provided intensely, check with your manager on whether it could be covered as professional development. There is a growing number of coaches who specifically work with higher ed staff and faculty.

You'll have to be strategic when it comes to leveraging alumni's relationships. You'll get better insights and introductions if the alumnus is on a board of trustees or board of directors. Many individual colleges and entities on campus will have some sort of advisory board, too. Those are the people who can help you the most, if you're looking for an advocate.

My presence on LinkedIn have led to conference speaking opportunities, paid speaking gigs, podcast interviews and corporate training contracts (one of my favorite things to do). Find someone who can show you the ropes of leveraging LinkedIn. It will help you open some doors to new opportunities.