What are the most effective networking strategies for telecom newcomers?

The world changed with COVID-19. We work from home, we travel less, and we certainly attend fewer industry conferences and trade shows. Online communities allow us to stay engaged while also staying safe. But that engagement is essential. If you are not actively contributing to a community it will soon forget you. There are so many ways to stay engaged. Here are a few: 1. Share an article you found inciteful or informative. Be sure to include your own opinion of the article, why you liked it. 2. Write your own article. What you write about is less important than your effort to reach out to other community members. 3. Comment on the articles of others. As always, keep your input on topic, be respectful, and express curiosity about the topic.

knowledge and experiences, and connect with other professionals in the field. Some popular online communities for telecom professionals include Telecoms.com Forum, LinkedIn groups like Telecom Professionals Network, and subreddits like r/telecom. Additionally, attending virtual events, webinars, and conferences can also help you expand your network and stay updated with industry developments. Main Imp CX

When you are with an established company, most will already be sending people out to various industry events. Try to make yourself useful - depending on your role, you can offer to help out at a trade fair booth, or when attending a conference, offer to summarize talks and insights gathered for your colleagues. Be aware that on these events, everything official that you see and hear is filtered through marketing and corporate communications. This is one reason why seasoned professionals use big industry events as backdrop to have many 1:1 meetings alongside the events, having more in depth and useful conversations with peers, partners, vendors and colleagues, and gladly skip mainstage show parts :-)

For me, the biggest impact on my personal Network brought going to Business Events as Vendor and talk to customers, Partner and reseller. Of course, then connect with them on LinkedIn to keep in touch with those contacts. So whenever you can, go on events.

In Germany, I highly recommend the VAF Bundesverband Telekommunikation e.V. they have trainings, white papers, documentations and best practice approaches

In my experience, I collaborated with a nearby university, where my expertise in telecom was highly valued. My role involved setting up labs, an opportunity that greatly expanded my knowledge beyond my professional experience. This collaboration also allowed me to learn fundamental concepts from university lectures. Joining a university lab isn't straightforward for everyone, but continuous networking with professors can pave the way. To succeed, one must demonstrate enthusiasm and align with their objectives, leaving a lasting impression.

Effective networking for newcomers hinges on being Open to learning, Engaging with all colleagues, Showing genuine curiosity through questions. It's crucial to present and report your work clearly, emphasizing the need for strong documentation and presentation skills. Be willing to tackle any task, seeing each as a chance to demonstrate your adaptability and commitment. Respecting different opinions is vital; it fosters a collaborative atmosphere, showing you value diverse perspectives. This approach not only aids in building a solid professional network but also lays the groundwork for career growth, making it essential for newcomers to adopt these strategies for successful networking.