How can clients network with professionals who share their diversity and inclusion goals?

1 Identify your goals and values

Before you start networking, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and what matters to you. What are your career aspirations, interests, and passions? What are the diversity and inclusion issues that you care about, and how do they relate to your field or role? How do you want to contribute to positive change in your sector or society? Having a clear vision of your goals and values will help you identify potential contacts, craft your personal brand, and communicate your value proposition.

2 Research potential contacts

Once you have your goals and values in mind, you can start looking for people who share them. You can use various sources and methods to find potential contacts, such as online platforms like social media, professional networks, blogs, podcasts, webinars, or newsletters to find and follow people who are influential, knowledgeable, or active in your field or niche. Additionally, you can join online groups, forums, or communities that focus on your topics of interest or identity. For offline events such as workshops, seminars, conferences, or meetups that are relevant to your field or niche, look for people who are speaking, presenting, or participating in them. Also search for events organized by or for diverse and inclusive groups like affinity networks, professional associations, or advocacy organizations. Don't forget to ask your existing contacts like colleagues, mentors, friends, or family to introduce you to people who share your diversity and inclusion goals. Ask them to recommend events, platforms, or resources where you can find such people.

3 Reach out and build rapport

Once you have identified potential contacts, you need to reach out to them and establish a connection. To do so, you can use different channels and strategies, such as sending personalized emails, engaging with them on social media, or approaching them in person or online at events. When you reach out to someone, your goal is to build rapport and trust by being respectful of their time and preferences, being clear about your goals and values, being curious about their work, achievements, challenges or opinions, being supportive of their goals, interests or passions, and being generous with your knowledge, skills or network.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?