3 ways women can build and maintain professional networks

Established professionals often tout the importance of building strong networks. In fact, a 2017 global survey from LinkedIn found that nearly 80 percent of professionals consider professional networking to be important to their career success. Professionals may see networking as a great way to land their next job, but establishing strong networks can pay dividends even for those people who have no immediate plans to leave their current companies. Small Business BC, a resource that caters to entrepreneurs in British Columbia, notes that successful networking can lead to referrals and new partnerships and raise the profiles of professionals and the companies they work for. The LinkedIn survey supports that notion, noting that one-quarter of professionals across the globe have established new business partnerships through LinkedIn Messaging. Of course, networking often helps people find new jobs as well, as the LinkedIn survey also found that 70 percent of people hired in 2016 found work at companies where they had existing connections.

Women can employ various strategies to build strong networks and maintain those networks once connections are established.

1. Join professional organizations.

Professional organizations provide great networking opportunities, serving as avenues to begin new business relationships. Many such organizations host annual conferences, and attending these conferences can help women maintain the relationships they develop through their participation in these groups. That’s an important benefit, as the LinkedIn survey found that 38 percent of professionals admitted they find it hard to stay in touch with their network.

2. Offer help as much as you seek it.

The LinkedIn survey found that only 48 percent of professionals keep in touch with their networks when things are going well in their career. By reaching out to a network when things are going well, women are showing a willingness to offer help as much as seek it. That can lead to stronger, more easily maintained networks.

3. Schedule networking each week.

Build networking into your weekly schedule. Even the busiest professionals can find time each week to email someone in their network to see how things are going or share updates on previous collaborations. That’s a quick and easy way to maintain connections.

The value of networking is undeniable. Women can take various steps to build strong networks and maintain those relationships for years to come.

It’s been a long year since this pandemic started. But there is light at the end of the tunnel! We all look forward to seeing our loved ones and friends with hugs and kisses without these masks! Let’s be ready with our smiles, bright and cheery!

The smile is most likely to be the first thing someone else notices about us. Now is the time to take care of our oral health and smile appearance. Start with the all important exam and cleaning, whether you need just a preventative routine cleaning or a more extensive treatment due to some level of gum disease. This would be assessed by your dentist and hygienist working together. Removing plaque and tartar removes stain. These cleaning brighten and whiten your teeth! If the gums are irritated or diseased these procedures also improve, not only gum and total body health, but also the appearance of your gums, and therefore, your smile. The gums should be a lighter pink, not red, purple or puffy. Also your breath will be fresher!

At this point, if no work is needed, consider whitening and brightening your smile. We have several options to fit your lifestyle and budget. A professional whitening will be more effective and safer than over the counter or internet products. Ours will be at a more effective strength of solution that brightens to a greater number of shades and faster. Your treatment will be safely monitored by an experienced professional. We have in office laser assisted whitening that speeds up the results. Also available are take home strips, again at a greater strength and efficacy than OTC products.

Broken teeth can be repaired sometimes with tooth colored bonded fillings, veneers, or for more extensive problems, with crowns (caps). In certain conditions, we can straighten the alignment, the size of the teeth, and the color with crowns or possibly with veneers. Stained fillings can be a sign of cavities, along with the negative esthetics they present. For this we treat with new fillings. Healthy gums and plaque free teeth are a must for the best results and longevity of the new restorations. So we start with the foundation of our mouth…the gums. Cosmetic dentistry procedures may need time for planning, design, lab fabrication, and shade satisfaction.

So think about treating yourself to an improved smile, both esthetically and health-wise.