Expanding your connections: 8 benefits of networking for healthcare professionals

If you believe in the phrase, ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’, then it may be time to prioritise networking to support the growth of your healthcare career. While your extensive knowledge, years of training and practical experience are crucial to your role, the connections you make along the course of your career are also incredibly important.

The relationships you foster across specialisations and sectors can help you grow both personally and professionally. Establishing these relationships can help drive innovation, collaborative efforts and open doors to career opportunities you perhaps never knew existed.

This article explores the value of expanding your professional network in healthcare. You’ll learn eight important benefits of networking for yourself, your patients and clients and for your career. You’ll also discover networking tips from an experienced career coach and learn how postgraduate study can be an ideal starting point to begin developing your professional network.

Understanding networking in healthcare

Image

Similar to networking in the business world, networking in healthcare is fundamentally about building relationships. These relationships can spark new ideas, illuminate a new field of interest or help take your professional practice to the next level.

Importantly, networking can also directly benefit the quality of care you provide. For example, you may be a nurse in a hospital working on a surgical ward and you urgently need an infusion pump and realise there are none currently available. If you have a fellow nurse colleague in another ward, you might be able to contact them and request to borrow one. If you have previously established a working relationship with another nurse elsewhere in the hospital, it means you can access further resources in critical moments, which helps to improve patient safety and care.

In healthcare, connecting with colleagues, industry leaders, researchers and other professionals can support you in a variety of ways. Natalie Waters, founder of Elevate Coaching, is a career development and success coach who works with clients to help them recognise the value of embracing risk as a pathway to new opportunities. Her extraordinary background working in different national and international government and advisory roles has given her a unique appreciation and perspective on what it means to move beyond your comfort zone.

Many professionals in healthcare may not believe that networking is necessary or relevant to their role or career trajectory. The idea of networking might feel scary, difficult or risky. However, Natalie firmly believes that to cultivate a thriving career, people in healthcare should make the most of their networking opportunities.

“In healthcare, collaboration and building trust are paramount. Networking is not just a career skill, it’s actually a professional necessity.”

One of the most important things to remember is that networking should come from a place of genuine interest. “It’s not about working the room. It’s about building genuine relationships. From my government work to diplomatic work, [my career path] was entirely shaped through conversations and connections. Every opportunity has come through from someone recommending me or coming across an opportunity through my network.”

Natalie emphasises that networking is not something that magically happens, which is something that younger healthcare professionals should keep in mind. Established practitioners, health researchers or academics in medicine would each have a story to tell regarding how they landed certain roles, made career shifts and took opportunities that helped pave their way. Natalie says that who you meet at the start of your career or even while studying may become a foundational support and the beginning of your professional network.

Ultimately, networking can widen the range of possibilities available to you. As Natalie shares, “Maybe it's leadership, digital health, policy development or international aid. Meeting other people through networking expands your awareness of what is possible in healthcare.” Natalie stresses the importance of never missing an opportunity, as it provides a valuable chance to grow, both professionally and personally. “If you don’t [take an opportunity], the next person behind you will.”

What does healthcare networking look like?

Image

There are many avenues when it comes to networking in healthcare. Conferences, seminars and workshops are some of the most common settings in which you can begin to expand your healthcare network. Some of these events may be through industry-specific education providers, while others are delivered via your professional association.

Primary Health Networks (PHNs) are independent organisations that coordinate and improve primary healthcare across Australia. PHNs assess community healthcare needs and support healthcare providers through training and valuable networking opportunities. It involves GPs, nurses, allied health professionals and other stakeholders who come together to collaborate, provide advice and work to improve the quality of primary healthcare in a particular region.

Experienced registered nurse and nursing career coach, Michelle Deroubaix, says that networking typically begins for nurses with their professional association. They may attend educational events through organisations like the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Foundation or specialty nursing associations for areas such as critical care nursing, perioperative nursing or neonatal care nursing.

Another effective networking strategy may be interdepartmental meetings within your own practice or organisation, particularly if there are multidisciplinary team members. Engaging with people in different wards or specialisations allows you to understand how other areas within the organisation operate, how they support patients or clients and may highlight opportunities to collaborate and provide more integrative care. Shadowing or observing in different healthcare settings can expand your network whilst also providing valuable learning experiences.

As Michelle highlights, “mentors are a great add on to your career.” She says that seeking mentorship opportunities is not something that nurses typically think about, however it provides an invaluable opportunity to learn from the wealth of experience that a senior nurse has to offer. Michelle adds that this is especially true for new graduate nurses, as having someone who can take them under their wing can help build confidence to grow in their role. “For a young nurse to be strategic, it’s probably a good move to ask someone to be their mentor.”

Michelle also says that while this may take some time, the important thing to remember is that it’s about building a connection first before bringing up the conversation of mentorship. She says that asking the question could look like, “I’m wondering if you’d consider mentoring me, because I’d like to build my career and your insights are valuable to me.” She emphasises the busy reality of nursing and that sometimes it may be as simple as a cup of coffee once a month that you both could catch up. “That could be the start of that relationship.”

Above all, Michelle says that nurses need to be proactive. In some cases, it may be helpful for nurses to consider career specialist coaching for dedicated support in growing their careers.

Digital networking opportunities are also useful for healthcare professionals. Virtual conferences, employment platforms such as LinkedIn or social media platforms can help you stay abreast of current advancements and take part in networking opportunities, regardless of your location.

Whatever approach you take, there are many benefits to networking that are readily available if you take the opportunity to put yourself out there.

8 benefits of networking for healthcare professionals

1. Opens career opportunities
   One main benefit of networking in your healthcare career is that it can help open up novel career opportunities. Building your network can mean you stay connected to the latest trends, industry developments and upcoming roles in a field of interest.

   Some organisations may prefer to recruit for job openings internally or through a referral network before advertising publicly. In this way, word-of-mouth and personal referrals can be powerful. In an industry that highly values reputation, skill set and credibility, having someone vouch for your expertise can give you a competitive edge. Building a trusted network of healthcare professionals can help increase your chances of being recommended for and securing a new role ahead of others.

   Strong networking relationships can also lead to mentorship opportunities, which can be a game-changer in your career development. Senior and experienced professionals who know your work, value your integrity and can see your potential can provide guidance and introduce you to other influential professionals in your field.

    

2. Fosters meaningful peer connections
   Your healthcare role may come with many emotional, physical and mental demands. Working with the complex care needs of patients, doing shift work and keeping current with your skills can all be taxing. Having a strong network of professional peers can provide an important source of support. Colleagues in your field who understand the unique and nuanced challenges related to your role can provide an empathetic ear, a new perspective and practical advice when you need it most.

   In this way, your network may be like your village, where you have a community of professionals who can help you work through client cases, debrief from a challenging day and provide support on ethical matters. These connections can help mitigate feelings of isolation that many healthcare professionals experience, especially in private practice settings or in rural and remote healthcare.

   Fostering professional relationships with peers can happen at any point in your career. Early in your career, you may start out small with a group of trusted colleagues, perhaps from your graduating year at university. As you progress, you’ll meet more people throughout postgraduate study, placements, internships and across various roles once you’re qualified. You’ll curate a group of people who can help you problem-solve, offer insights and join in the shared experience of the many challenges and rewards of your career.

3. Builds confidence for empaths and introverts
   There are a range of personality types that can flourish in the healthcare industry. Some people may feel energised talking to a room full of people, yet for others, this very thought might be a genuine source of dread. If you feel you are more introverted than extroverted, networking can be a great way to build your confidence, meet new people and practice being seen for your talents and expertise. This can also help alleviate daunting feelings, overwhelm or thoughts of inadequacy that sometimes accompany an internal dialogue of imposter syndrome.

   Networking helps you to stay visible, even if you’re not the most confident or loudest person in the room. If this is you, Natalie says the trick is to start small and don’t overthink it. “The best networking strategy for introverts is quality over quantity. Start with smaller groups or even just a one-on-one conversation.” She also says that it’s highly likely that the vast majority of people will be feeling the same way, which can be helpful to remember if you’re in these networking environments.

   Interestingly, as an empathic person or introvert, you may have an advantage in these situations. Your ability to listen carefully and show genuine interest may be some of your unique strengths that can shine through during these interactions. As Natalie highlights, “We think networking is about us, but it’s actually not. If you can try and get out of your own head and ask questions to be curious and find out what’s important to others, such as where they’re working now and how their career has moved forward, you will proactively find so much more out about someone. Listening and being interested in others is actually quite rare these days.” Doing this helps foster a real connection with another healthcare professional and paves the way for a networking relationship.

4. Encourages professional development
   Healthcare is always evolving and staying current with best practices, new technologies and emerging research is crucial for your clinical practice. Learning and building your network can often go hand-in-hand. As part of maintaining your professional development requirements relevant to your field, you may attend conferences, seminars, complete short courses or pursue postgraduate study.

   The opportunities to network at these events are abundant, whether it’s a conversation with a fellow colleague on their field of expertise or a brief exchange with a peer during the lunch break. Natalie agrees that blending learning and networking serves the dual purpose of gaining further knowledge and meeting other professionals at the same time. “The people that you meet at the breaks are just as important as the learnings.”

   Similarly, the connections you make can continue to inspire your professional development, building your expertise or helping you discover a new niche that wasn’t previously on your radar. You might learn about a new intervention, technology or care approach through a new contact. This can serve to enhance your individual practice and ensure you stay relevant.

5. Promotes information access and sharing
   Once you’ve established your connections and begin to foster professional relationships with other healthcare providers, the opportunities to share information open up. Research findings, educational materials, product knowledge or business tips are all valuable pieces of information that can be shared amongst your network, improving the quality of care and career path of those seeking it.

   Perhaps you’re a psychologist or counsellor who’s developed a unique trauma-informed protocol for working with clients with a traumatic background in your practice. You may connect with a like-minded colleague who has a similar client base and be able to share your resources and insights. This, in turn, could lead to opportunities to facilitate discussion groups and even formalised training sessions with peers on the topic.

   Being well-connected in a group that shares your professional interests or specific practice area can help raise the overall integrity of your profession. The exchanging of knowledge helps build trust within your network, signifying a commitment on your behalf to collective success, rather than individual gain. This fosters a supportive environment where everyone in your field benefits equally.

6. Inspires innovation in healthcare
   Novel ideas and innovative thinking can sometimes result from two people connecting within a network and sharing ideas. It might be regarding a particular pain point in your clinical practice, whether it’s business-related, a minor organisational issue or about a specific condition or patient type.

   You may have the solution to someone else's problem. Or, together, you problem-solve collaboratively and discover an entirely new strategy that addresses the concern. Different perspectives, experiences and expertise can combine in unseen ways, which is another benefit of networking in healthcare.

   Healthcare innovations can lead to further career progression, such as leadership roles, research opportunities and academia. You may discover hidden talents and skills in non-clinical roles, such as healthcare policy development and pursue a new career path as a result. The potential for networking to transform your career is immense, even if it starts out with a single conversation with one other healthcare colleague.

7. Enhances patient and client care
   Through meaningful connections, professional development, information exchanges and confidence-building experiences, you become more knowledgeable and assured of yourself as a healthcare provider. Each one of these aforementioned points can have a real and multidirectional impact on your clinical practice and the quality of care you provide.

   You may be in a small network of allied health professionals, with whom you respect, collaborate and refer to frequently. Knowing how different professionals work, their expertise or special field of interest can help you choose the right healthcare team to more comprehensively support your patient’s or client’s needs.

   As you progress throughout your career, you’ll have professionals in your network that you’ve built connections with over many years. These people become trusted colleagues, peers and advisors and you feel confident about knowing your clients or patients are in capable hands. Moreover, this helps your clients or patients see you as trustworthy and receive better continuity of care, thanks to the strong, established relationships you have built with these professionals.

8. Strengthens your professional authority
   Participating in professional networking opportunities can help establish you as a leader and authority in your field. This can be simply from connecting with peers and sharing knowledge, or it may be from facilitating formal education and training. However you engage with other healthcare professionals, it can continue to strengthen your network and you’ll become a trustworthy and valued member of the healthcare community.

   As Natalie emphasises, “Your reputation often arrives before you do, whether you are aware of it or not.” This means that the earlier you start building trusted relationships, the quicker your network expands and opportunities to develop your reputation as a trust expert will also reveal themselves. This is also important if you want to pursue roles that have a wider impact on a national or global scale.

   Building your network can lead to invitations to speak at conferences, contribute to research or provide an expert voice in policy development or public health roles. Committing to building your network and making the most of every opportunity could steer your career in a direction that may not have been possible without establishing authentic professional connections.

Expert tips on building your healthcare network

Image

If you’re just starting out and want to learn how to make an effective and meaningful connection, Natalie offers her top tips for healthcare professionals on how to network.

Be intentional

In any networking situation, doing some research can make a big difference. If you’re going to an event and are interested in connecting with one of the keynote speakers, you can do some extra research on their work, find a quiet moment after their talk and introduce yourself. Or, you may observe other professionals in the room and hear something that piques your interest. You can find an opportunity to make a connection during a break or at the end of the event.

Perhaps you want to expand your network less formally, whether it’s in an online forum, through your professional association or in the workplace. Natalie says that being intentional and proactive about who you’d like to connect with is a useful strategy that can pay off in the long run. “Always be intentional – identify 5-10 key people in your field and focus your efforts [on connecting with them] instead of trying to meet everyone.”

Lead with curiosity

Be curious and ask questions. This is the most ideal way to connect with someone, as it shows you’re genuinely interested in them, want to learn about what they’ve accomplished and how they’ve made it happen. Natalie says that asking questions is rare, which is something to capitalise on because people love to talk about themselves. “You don’t have to have an in-depth knowledge of the subject you are talking about or the questions you are asking. Keep it simple” Leading with curiosity allows you to set a solid foundation for building your professional network.

Natalie also highlights that it can be helpful to have a handful of great questions to ask at the ready. This takes you out of your head, puts the spotlight on the other person and can help alleviate those initial nerves when you’re interacting with someone. A good strategy, she says, is to come up with questions that you’d love someone to ask you. Some examples may be: How long have you been in the industry for? What do you love most about your role? You’re exactly where I want to get to, how did you get there? How can I work with you?

Make it count

Making an initial connection is the first part of networking. Making it stick and following up with them is a crucial next step. Natalie says that when you follow up fast, you’re demonstrating to the person that you’re serious about keeping in touch and would like to continue building on your professional relationship.

This should be done ideally within 48 hours of meeting them, while the connection is still fresh in both your minds. Send a short text, follow-up email or LinkedIn message where you make a reference to some of your previous conversation or something that stood out to you about the other person. Or, you could remind them of something memorable you may have said. This brings you to the forefront of their awareness and humanises the connection again. It may be something as simple as acknowledging how lovely it was to meet, thanking them for the insights they shared and letting them know you’d like to catch up again in the near future.

Nurture your connection

Finally, showing that you value the relationship and want it to grow is an essential part of successful networking. This is where you activate the relationship and consider how there could be a mutual benefit and mutual gain. Natalie stresses the value in committing to nurturing your connections. “Never take them for granted, even if you need to make a note in your diary, make a point to reach out regularly and keep them in mind when you think there may be an opportunity for the other person.”

Natalie says that reciprocity and authenticity are important themes to remember when it comes to nurturing your connections and are essential to networking effectively in your healthcare role. “Share resources, offer value to one another. When you approach networking with curiosity, when you want to know more about someone, it becomes less transactional and more of a partnership.”

How postgraduate healthcare courses can expand your network

Connect with student peers

Throughout your studies, you'll have the chance to connect with a diverse group of peers from a range of clinical and professional backgrounds. Sharing knowledge and offering support as you navigate the rewards and challenges of completing your studies can help strengthen your bond, which can continue well beyond graduation and into your new career for many years to come.

Learn from academics and industry experts

You'll also learn from lecturers and academic staff who are often active professionals and researchers in their fields, giving you access to important industry insights and guidance. You may also have the opportunity to receive mentorship from these professionals, which can give you a career boost from the very start.

Make the most of your practical placements

Many postgraduate healthcare courses also include placements or practical components, giving you the chance to gain real-world experience while expanding your network further. During these placements, you'll work alongside experienced healthcare professionals, supervisors and other multidisciplinary teams, providing more opportunities to build meaningful professional relationships that support your career.

Postgraduate health leadership courses: build your network while you study

Studying a postgraduate healthcare course offers a valuable opportunity to build and expand your professional network. Universities in Australia offer numerous postgraduate health leadership courses that are designed to help you develop important skills in strategic thinking, innovation and organisational change. These courses can set you up for success when pursuing roles beyond clinical patient care, such as health research, health promotion, health services management and global health leadership.

Courses such as the University of Notre Dame’s Graduate Certificate in Clinical Leadership (Aspiring Leaders) is designed for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals looking to enhance their skills in leadership, management and advanced patient care. You’ll also have the option to choose from a variety of elective units, such as Professional Role Development, Emotional Intelligence, Leading Change and Negotiation Skills. These additional units may serve as a powerful opportunity to both connect with like-minded health professionals and build skills that support networking and your future career.

The University of Wollongong’s Master of Medical and Health Leadership is available to people with a clinical or administrative background in the health sector and a prior relevant bachelor’s degree. This master’s degree covers essential core subjects to equip you for leadership or advanced roles. Examples of such subjects include Leading Change in Healthcare and Emotional Intelligence for Leaders. This course is taught by experienced industry and academic staff, enabling you to learn from top professionals to help advance your career.

Southern Cross University’s Master of Healthcare Leadership delivers comprehensive, interdisciplinary leadership skills for nurses or anyone in a health-related field. Core units include subjects such as Leading Change in Healthcare, Strategic Planning and Management in Healthcare and Building a Professional Portfolio. Examples of elective subjects you can choose from include Organisational Behaviour and The Positive Leader. This master’s degree offers you the chance to learn from industry experts and to develop high-demand, transferable leadership skills to future-proof your healthcare career.

James Cook University’s Master of Nursing Majoring in Leadership & Management is for registered nurses looking to advance their skills needed to pursue nursing leadership roles, such as a nurse unit manager or director of nursing. This comprehensive course delivers hands-on technical skills and helps you develop your communication, decision-making and critical thinking capabilities to succeed as an effective leader in a variety of nursing settings. You’ll also be qualified as you go, with two nested qualifications, including the Graduate Certificate of Nursing (Leadership & Management) and Graduate Diploma of Nursing Majoring in Leadership & Management. You have the option to exit the master’s degree with these qualifications for additional skills to support your role.

Victoria University’s Master of Public Health Specialising in Global Health Leadership is a unique master’s degree for professionals looking to enhance their knowledge of emerging and complex global health issues. This course will equip you to apply systems thinking principles and drive innovative solutions to global health problems for public health roles at a local, national and global level. You’ll be able to pursue roles such as an infection preventionist, senior health policy advisor, health informatics specialist or emergency preparedness coordinator.

Boost your career through meaningful networking

When done efficiently, networking can be a powerful way to advance your healthcare career. As a professional in this field, networking is all about making connections and expanding the realm of possibilities for yourself, your sector and career trajectory.

The relationships you build today can support your professional growth, provide resources during pivotal career moments and create opportunities for meaningful contributions to healthcare delivery. Whether you're seeking leadership roles, exploring new specialisations or looking to make a broader impact on patient care, your professional network can be instrumental in achieving your career goals. If you’re interested in these courses, select one and enquire to speak to a Student Enrolment Advisor about applying.

Explore the range of health leadership courses to help propel your career forward. At GlobalHealth Education, we partner with respected universities that offer healthcare courses in a range of fields. We also list courses from reputable universities across Australia. These courses are flexible and are delivered online, on-campus or in a blended learning mode. Discover further courses in nursing, counselling, psychology, public health, social work and mental health.