What do you do if you're a teacher seeking to network with professionals outside of education?

As a teacher seeking to network with professionals outside of education, it's crucial to start by identifying your goals. Clearly define what you aim to achieve through networking—whether it's gaining new teaching strategies, understanding industry trends, securing guest speakers, or finding potential collaborations for interdisciplinary projects. Knowing your objectives will guide you in selecting relevant events, associations, and online groups to join. It will also help you formulate pertinent questions and discussions when engaging with professionals, ensuring that your networking efforts are focused and productive, ultimately benefiting your educational practice.

Everything in life, starts with Why. so, 1. Clarify Your Purpose: Why do you want to be who you want to be? That will help determine why you want to network outside of education and help others to know you better. Understanding your purpose will guide your actions. 2.Set Specific Objectives: Identify what you hope to achieve through networking. Eg, learning new skills, finding mentors, or exploring potential career paths. Specific goals help you measure success and stay focused. 3. Target Relevant Industries: Research and select industries that align with your goals and interests. This focus allows you to direct your efforts efficiently.

Aquí tienes algunos consejos prácticos para identificar tus metas antes de comenzar el networking: 1. Define tus metas: Clarifica qué quieres lograr con el networking, como acceder a recursos o avanzar profesionalmente. 2. Investiga y prepara tu propuesta: Identifica a las personas relevantes y desarrolla un resumen claro de tu valor y lo que puedes ofrecer. 3. Establece un plan de acción y ajusta: Participa en eventos de networking, evalúa los resultados y ajusta tu enfoque según sea necesario.

1. Optimize Your Profiles: Update your LinkedIn, and other professional profiles to highlight your skills, experiences, and interests beyond education. Ensure your profile picture and summary speaks who you are, congruent too. PS: if you are someone FUN, please dont go for black suit photo taking. be Real, be authentic. 2. Connect Strategically: Send personalized connection requests to professionals in your targeted industries. Mention common interests, mutual connections, or specific reasons for wanting to connect. PS: send a personal note instead of no notes for connection. 3. Engage with Content: Regularly share, comment, and like posts from industry leaders and companies you’re interested in to increases visibility

Personally, I feel you need to stay through to what you believe. Do not do volunteer work for the sake of it and stopped when motive achieved. Be clear of WHY you want to do so. If unsure, try it out, but you must decide and stay true to your heart. Volunteer Work is meaningful when you leverage on your skills to best value add others. Eg, Offer your teaching skills for workshops, training sessions, or mentoring programs in non-educational settings. Highlight how your expertise can benefit the organization. (Not just spending time to facilitate). PS: you can consider "work and study scheme" with your tutees too. it's not volunteer, but it's helping the less privilege too

1. Identify your USP: Do some market research to know how you are different from the rest. So that when you shoutout your pedagogy, it leaves deeper impression because you are unique. 2. Develop the Brand: Craft a compelling narrative about your USP and share insights and experiences through blogs, articles, or videos. Highlight your expertise and interests beyond teaching to attract attention from other fields. 3. Network Through Content: Use your content as a conversation starter with professionals who share similar interests or could benefit from your insights. Engage with those who comment or share your content. If you are someone that's "similar" to others in teaching, then consider magnifying your purpose, a strong WHY is a magnet

My approach to developing a professional brand started with focusing on student achievement. What do you aspire to help students achieve? Whatever it is, it’s the root of your brand. The true ‘brand power’, however, is found in how you value your lived experience and recognize your own expertise. Too many edu-friends are both brilliant and self-effacing…a terrible combination. Folks outside education are curious and interested in our work. I have observed teachers use the phrase “I’m just a teacher.” Just?! Let’s fix this: “I’m a teacher!” As you develop the brand, remember that relationships are more important than how many followers you’ve got. Make your brand reflect how many leaders you’re creating and where your teaching is going!