Networking is a term often used in business and it typically means viewing other people as potential resources to further business careers. This is only part of the equation. Those who network should view themselves as potentially able to help the careers of others. When an equal balance can be struck between being of assistance and gaining assistance through business or personal contacts, networks are likely to be most beneficial.

Most people are interested in knowing how to even begin networking, and they should be assured that if they have ever spoken to another soul, it’s likely they’ve already begun this process. Essentially, to network means to start talking to others and to occasionally and causally insert facts about business a person participates in. Yet where are these social opportunities to come from? Actually they can come from many places, and tips for networking include making sure to get to those places where it is easiest to network.

Some of the better places to find others who may at some point benefit from a business or need help from a professional contact include lots of professional organizations. There are many of these in most mid-sized to larger communities. There can be lunches for businesswomen, breakfasts for Catholic of Jewish businessmen, associations that focus on charitable work from specific groups of people, and many others. Consider belonging to at least two to three professional associations, meeting groups, “meal” groups, or charitable groups that will have others participating who work in similar fields.

It’s often thought that networking means handing over business cards and hoping a person will eventually be able to exploit or use relationships with others. This is clunky networking at best. It is far better to let people get to know each other in semi-social situations before business cards get passed around. This is why belonging to professional groups can be so important. It allows people to get a sense of how others work, their ideas about how to pursue business, and possibly even their moral or political stances. These things are likely to make far more of an impression than a well-designed business card.

That doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for the business card or for creating professional contacts in casual situations. A person who ends up working out next to another person at the local gym might strike up a conversation that leads to a valuable contact. But these circumstances tend not to be memorable unless two people really get along well.

Another way in which networking can be helpful is when it is done through family members or close friends. There is no reason why these people can’t be business contacts too. Again, they have the distinct advantage of remembering their relatives and friends more than they would a casual contact, and they already have an assessment of the skills of others they know. There does need to be a certain delicacy when using friends or family as part of a network. Clearly a person doesn’t want others to feel exploited, visited or used simply because they have something to offer professionally. The same holds at least partly true when participating in professional or charitable organizations; focus on the work of these before focusing on making contacts.

Thus the best tips for networking are to find related activities in which participation will be fun and enjoyed. Get to know the other people who are in these activities too, and learn how to help them professionally, in addition to potentially seeking their help. Look at participation in any social event as an opportunity to be liked or respected, not just as a chance to make a business contact. Chances are, those who receive the respect or admiration of others are more likely to get help from a network when they need it.