Artificial intelligence is changing nearly every aspect of our work lives, from how we write emails to how we apply for jobs on networking sites like LinkedIn. But even as technology transforms the world around us, one truth remains constant: our greatest career asset is still our network.
That’s the message from LinkedIn Career Expert Catherine Fisher, who joined Jean Chatzky this week on the HerMoney Podcast to talk about why networking is more powerful than ever, especially for women navigating rapid change in the workplace.
Why Networking Matters More Than Ever
Jean Chatzky: The latest data from LinkedIn shows that 43% of professionals say their network is still their number one source of advice at work. How do we make these relationships with other people feel less transactional?
Catherine Fisher: The example I always give is that you wouldn’t call up someone you know, that you haven’t talked to in five years, and ask them to help you move. You would call a friend who you just had coffee with last week and know all about their kids, and are really good friends with them.
So it’s the same thing in that professional network; you want to keep up the relationship. It doesn’t mean you have to take someone out to dinner every week. It just means that you’re interested in what they’re doing in their career. You’re engaging in their content, you’re reaching out. I think your network is one of the most important things in your career. We’re all going to go through really good times. We’re going to go through hard times in our careers, and that’s really when your network will surround you and help you in those moments. But they’re not gonna be able to help you if they feel like we actually don’t really have a connection, and I don’t know what you’ve been doing.