Using Platforms to Network
Networking is valued in the architecture community. This is a topic which we, alongside many other platforms, have previously conversed on, specifically talking about the benefits that it can provide with job searching, becoming part of a community and meeting new peers from the industry. Following from this, today’s post will more specifically look at the networking platforms and how each can be used differently to each other. The ones we cover in this post are LinkedIn, Instagram, MightyNetworks, Clubhouse, Discord, YouTube and Telegram.
Keep reading to see how you can use them to your advantage when it comes to networking.
1. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a business oriented platform you need to be using in your professional life! It’s greatly recognized as a brand that allows for work connections to be made with your current peers for the future and current practising professionals in your career industry. Unlike other social media platforms, it is known for setting a professional boundary between yourself and the person you are connecting and communicating with. For example, people that we generally connect with are professionals we meet through extra-curricular lectures, RIBA initiatives and those of which we meet through a mutual connection. Not only does it create a virtual connection, but it’s also a great way to remind them of yourself and your professional profile, which can quite literally be seen as a virtual CV as it contains your expertise, achievements and skills.
Another great quality of LinkedIn is that previous employers can endorse your skills on your profile and therefore recommend you to future employers. This creates a trusting profile and very strong profile when job hunting through this platform. In addition to this, you can connect and build these relationships with individuals and companies abroad, extending your profile to an international level which means maximising your exposure to employers. Even though it’s not perfect and there is room for improvement to increase connectivity, engagement and professional exposure, it is definitely a good contender in being one of the most used networking platforms.
2. Mighty Networks
Mighty Networks is a community driven platform which allows for creators to run and organise live streams, courses and discussions in their own network. You could think of the platform as a combination of Skillshare’s course services alongside Discord’s communication features. Stephen Drew, founder of Architecture Social, has a great network dedicated to individuals within the architecture industry. Our friends over at BFA also have an architecture community under Mighty Networks too. Feel free to request to join any communities of your choice in order to put yourself out there to the world :)
3. Clubhouse
During the global pandemic, the rise of Clubhouse users skyrocketed. The concept behind the app, which is available on both IOS and Android, is to provide a virtual chat room for discussions of interest to take place. You could guess why the app became popular during the multiple lockdowns that took place.
Individuals across different professions, levels of education and age groups are able to converse over chat room topics. You are also able to create your own chat rooms of interest to discuss and connect with others over the same topic. The invite system has been disused so all mobile users can take advantage of the platform now. With the limitations of in-person events overcome through virtual talkrooms, Clubhouse provides a great casual environment as a replacement. Some clubs to join for architecture students would be the ‘Global Architect Alliance’ founded by Jason Boyle and the ‘Architecture Social’ by Stephen Drew. There are also some amazing chat rooms run by gurus dedicated to networking on social media platforms, in the office and events.
4. Discord
Similar to Clubhouse, Discord offers both a way to coordinate different discussions within a single group or entity through channels, and the additional opportunity for call/video discussions in a single space. In the context of architectural networking, Discord allows you to connect with all sorts of groups of individuals in the industry on an international scale. It’s a flexible platform that can accommodate all sorts of networking needs in the architecture industry like making new contacts, hosting events, debates and much more.
5. Instagram
There are different branches of Instagram that you won’t find yourself discovering if you use the social media platform for personal means only. The explore page can only show so much. Usually, it is common for architecture students to create a portfolio-esque Instagram account dedicated to their work. It is good to separate your work and personal life content to make it easy for people to reach out to you for your architectural content. Strategically using reels, posts and storys can help build up a platform for yourself, similar to how we have done with ArchiDabble. You realise, once you have reached a certain point, that the algorithm leans towards accounts which are similar to yours. This is when you can reach out to other content creators for collaborations, to ask questions or to simply become friends. Similar to clubhouse, it could be seen as a less daunting and casual way of approaching and connecting with other people in the same industry unlike LinkedIn which is more professional.
Some platforms, like Parametric Architecture, also hold talks with practising architects all across the globe which you can take advantage of too. There is no harm in joining these live streams since the interface allows you to contribute and converse along with the hosts. The feature to hop onto someone else’s Instagram live opens more opportunities for interacting and networking with others too.
6. YouTube
YouTube is a video sharing social media platform that we are all familiar with. Whether you use it to watch your favourite Youtuber or the next rhino tutorial in your list of software videos, it’s used in our day to say lives, but how can it be used to network? Whilst this might not be for everyone, creating a YouTube channel is definitely one of the only ways to create a platform and network through a video format. Networking in this way can come from many different branches including partnerships with brands and their associates, sponsorships, collaborations with other individuals in the same community and last but not least your audience.
Your audience is the most valuable connection you can make through YouTube as it can be made up of a range of age cohorts with people from different backgrounds, so as much as they can use the content you are providing whether its to relate or learn something skillful, you will always have something to learn from them. Additionally, if successful, it’s one of the most efficient platforms in getting your name known in the field, which can come in handy, resulting in employers, companies and brands reaching out to you for events, talks and promotions.
7. Telegram
If you use WhatsApp, then Telegram as a platform should feel very intuitive. One way that Telegram is used when networking in architecture is to gather people interested in a particular initiative, such as a competition or group project. Telegram channels are handy if the creator of a channel simply wants to create a space to share information, but not necessarily invite conversation that can make for distractions on communication-based platforms. Likewise, these channels can equally be great spaces for casual conversation between content creators, architects and employees and more. Ultimately, It allows you to decide the balance between flow of discussion and sharing of meaningful content which may make it a preferred choice of networking platform amongst users.
That brings us to the end of our post which covers a range of platforms that you can use to network with individuals in the same industry as yourself. The possibilities of making meaningful relations across the discipline are endless, as they really allow you to build connections virtually anywhere in the world, from anyplace.
Speaking of networking, why don’t you connect with us on our Instagram @archidabble where we also provide resourceful content. When posting your work or drawings onto your Instagram page, make sure to follow and tag us for a repost! You never know who might come across your work on our page :)
