Discover Marcus's favourite networking tips and lessons that he's learned during his career journey.
Marcus Watson is a Senior Associate in Assurance, and also a Board member of our Young PwC Switzerland community.
Young PwC is an internal community focused on providing opportunities for our young professionals to interact during networking events, and receive support to develop themselves professionally and personally.
Why is networking important?
Building and maintaining a strong professional network is crucial to be successful. The strength of networking is in knowing who to ask when encountering a problem that you can’t solve alone or having contacts in other areas of the firm who can provide a different perspective. An equally important strength can even be something as simple as having someone to talk to on a coffee break to clear your mind for a few minutes.
Marcus during a recent Young PwC event - "Shaping Our Future at PwC: Working in a Changing World"
What tips can you give to people who are new to networking?
For those new to networking – or as a refresher for those not-so-new - here are a few of my favourite tips:
Listen actively: we have two ears and one mouth, so they say we should listen twice as much as we speak. This way we avoid answering the question we wanted and expected to hear rather than the one that was asked.
Remember a key detail and follow up: after meeting someone, remember a detail and the next time you see them, ask how this situation played out or how it was, e.g., their project launch. This is a great way to keep the connection strong and makes the other person feel heard and appreciated.
Eat the frog: a famous saying for a reason! If it’s new to you, it essentially means completing difficult or daunting tasks — also known as frogs — before the ones you're more comfortable with. So, go to the events, make that first introduction, ask that first question, it might be daunting at first, but outside of your comfort zone is where the most growth happens.
What’s something you’ve had to learn regarding networking that you’re grateful for?
One valuable lesson I've learned about networking is the importance of maintaining relationships over time.
It's not just about making initial connections; the hard but most rewarding part is then sustaining these connections.
This is where remembering a detail and following up (tip 2 above) comes in handy as you will have something personal to kick off the next conversation. Regularly checking in with contacts whether with a message or meeting for coffee, offering help, or even just staying engaged with their professional journeys have been helpful to sustain my professional connections.
This skill has allowed me to build a robust network of trusted colleagues and mentors who provide support, advice, and opportunities (including being asked to write this blog post!). I'm grateful for this skill as it has significantly contributed to my career growth and success.
