Overview 

This standard is about developing professional networks to support your current and future work and personal development.

These networks can include a wide range of people – including colleagues you work with directly, people from other organisations and businesses, clients and customers, members of professional and trade associations and social media contacts.


Performance Criteria

You must be able to:

  1. participate in networking activities and build a network of business contact
  2. make the first approach when an opportunity to network arises
  3. establish rapport with others
  4. communicate a consistent message, including your non-verbal signals
  5. tell people what you have to offer and how it is complimentary to their way of working
  6. make contact with as many people as possible in networking situation
  7. follow through on commitments to make further contact or take action
  8. recommend people in your contact network when you are unable to provide a service or product
  9. find ways to maintain contact with new and existing contacts
  10. identify business relationships that are not working as well as they should and try to improve them
  11. respect the differences between people from different cultures or backgrounds
  12. recognise that people have different approaches in and adapt your behaviour to accommodate this
  13. establish and maintain a professional online presence as required


Knowledge and understanding

You need to know and understand:

  1. how to develop rapport when meeting people
  2. how body language can influence your communications with others
  3. how to listen attentively and show that you have actively listened
  4. how to spot opportunities and find possible connections with your own situation
  5. how to promote what you do in a way that will encourage other people to find out more
  6. the importance of acting with integrity
  7. what you need to do to develop and maintain respect and trust
  8. how to recognise and respect boundaries in your relationships with others
  9. how you benefit by introducing and referring your contacts to others when the opportunity arises
  10. how to maintain networking relationships
  11. the benefits and disadvantages of the formal network groups available
  12. how to recognise and respect the differences between people from different cultures or backgrounds
  13. what influences people to behave in certain ways
  14. the tools to use for self-promotion
  15. ways to market yourself and your services in your industry
  16. he benefits of a professional online presence and the options to achieve this including promotional websites, blogs and use of social media