Simon Willison’s Weblog

Why is it important to expand/upgrade my professional network?

My answer to Why is it important to expand/upgrade my professional network? on Quora

There are plenty of reasons, but the most obvious is for finding a better job. Next time you are job hunting having a high quality, wide ranging network can make a huge difference.

You might not find a job directly with one of your contacts, but they are very likely to know someone else who has need of your skills. The more high quality relationships you have, the better the chance someone will hear of something relevant to you.

Some of the best jobs aren’t advertised anywhere, and are only filled by word if mouth recommendations. That’s where your network comes in.

There are plenty of other benefits (building your skills, hearing about interesting events, making business connections) but the job hunting advantage affects everyone, no matter what your line of work is.