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When it comes to the professional world, the word networking appears time and time again. To me, networking simply means taking an effort to professionally or socially interact with a broader group of people outside of your current circle. Typically this is done with the goal of providing mutually beneficial connections. Humans are very social creatures and prefer to operate with people they know and trust. People also love to feel valued and give gifts to others. It’s in these dynamics that the power of networking unfolds.

You may be trying to solve a very difficult problem and are missing a specific type of expertise. By tapping your network, you may find someone who is thrilled to be able to share their knowledge on a topic and solve your problem. Networking often has a negative connotation and is seen as slimy or manipulative. If you are being authentic and are happy to provide value back into your network, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Networking is much closer to making friends than it is to taking advantage of others.

Working in the talent space is inherently about relationships so it is critical to foster the relationships we have and expand them exponentially. At AdAstra, networking is an integral concept woven into our work. At our company’s infancy, we had no clients so we reached out to my former colleagues at SpaceX who were now leading new ventures in the NewSpace arena. Through reconnecting with them, we were able to validate our business idea, learn about the market, and sign some of our earliest clients.

Networking may be easy to some, but can seem ambiguous for those who’ve never done it before or don’t know where to begin. It’ll vary from field to field, but here’s specific advice for engineers to tap into the value of networking:

• At work: go to as many company events as you can. Try to work with other groups outside of your team, travel to other sites, and other work with vendors. Essentially, the goal is to have meaningful interactions with as many people as possible to grow your web of connections.
• Outside of work: go to events and parties that have other people with similar interests. That could be conferences, happy hours, speaker events, etc. Pay attention to who is there, and initiate conversations with those of interest to you or even just in your vicinity. Find out how you can help other people, often by asking point blank “is there anything I can do to help you with what you’re working on?” Have your elevator pitch prepared so you make it really easy for others to understand what you’re doing, so they can get involved if it is interesting to them. Keep an eye out for ways that other people can help you, and let them know how they can help you in an appropriate way. Ideally, you’re looking for ways to help others way more than you’re looking for others to help you.

And remember: don’t just think about what you will get out of networking but primarily consider what you have to offer to others. It’s a two way street of adding value and you’ll be surprised at the doors it opens for you.

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