Why Building A Network Is Imperative for Gen-Z Women

It’s an open secret that many leaders got where they are today because of their networks. But while women have historically been excluded from spaces in which men have been able to network — like the golf courses or men-only clubs— most networking now occurs online, which presents an incredible opportunity for Gen-Zers — and Gen-Z women in particular.

Women are 26% more likely than men to believe you do not need to meet in person to make a professional connection. I’m one of them: I’ve learned from women that I look up to by listening to them at virtual panels and messaging them on platforms like LinkedIn or even Instagram afterward. I’ve sent cold messages on LinkedIn and Instagram and tagged people on Twitter, which led to mentorship, internship opportunities, and countless valuable connections.

I’ve also found that Gen-Zers can capitalize on our youth in networking; most older business leaders recognize that a Gen-Zer can help them keep up with trends and reach a new, young audience. This is evident by the fact that #genz and several iterations of that hashtag, including #genzmarketing and #genz, are popular on LinkedIn. A quick look through these hashtags indicates a lot of interest in how our generation works and a hunger for insights into us generally.

While you can bring value, however, it’s still important to remain humble: When reaching out to high-level people as a young person, express what you hope to learn from them and ask if they could give you 10 to 15 minutes of their time or answer just a couple questions. It seems many Gen-Zers have caught on to this, given that Gen Z is the fastest-growing global audience demographic on LinkedIn; there are currently 78 million Gen Zers on LinkedIn, which represents roughly 10% of LinkedIn’s global member base. This also means those not on LinkedIn and similar networking platforms are missing out on an opportunity to connect with potential future employers and other students. On LinkedIn, it’s easy to find programs run by companies and organizations for specific groups — like a woman in finance fellowship — or connect with a recruiter hiring interns, for example.

As I’m writing this, I have 4,665 followers on LinkedIn. But when I first downloaded the app and created my profile, I was lost. But then I started to play around with the site, got to know the features, started editing my profile, and built from there. I really grew my account over the summer of my junior year of high school; every day, I scheduled five to 10 networking calls with people from all over the world whose perspective I wanted to hear, who I wanted to learn from, and about. I even connected with three other high schoolers with whom I launched a startup. It didn’t end up being a successful venture, but we still talked to everyone from professors to investors about it, thanks to LinkedIn. My friends call me the “networking queen” because I don’t hesitate to reach out to anyone.

Of course, my ability to have the time to put into networking is a privilege.

For Gen-Z women, growing a network means building a support system of people who can help you get in the room and help you out of tough situations. It means learning and growing from peers and mentors and standing up for oneself if something doesn’t feel right because you know others have your back. It means knowing how to handle situations that other women have been in before and not feeling alone in a society structured around the patriarchy and a man’s success in the workplace.

Growing our network is of utmost importance for the future. It provides useful information or perspectives other than our own, but it also proves useful in staying on top of trends and brainstorming new ideas for the next big thing.