When you think about building your personal and professional networks, it is easy to forget that your home can provide excellent opportunities. Most people rely on professional events and their workplaces to build and maintain networks, but these networks can often fall short. When you live in an apartment community, you may have a potential network of hundreds of people close to you. By following these tips, you can find great networking opportunities exactly where you are.
Reasons to Network Within Your Apartment Community
If you are trying to find the best places to network as a professional, you can start right at home. Residents of apartments in the Loop have the following advantages when considering networking opportunities with their neighbors:
- Diversity: Apartments tend to house a greater variety of people with diverse lives and experiences. You may find a wide range of professions represented in your apartment community, providing you with greater opportunities to connect.
- Proximity: Location removes many of the barriers to connecting with your network. You have an easier way of finding a convenient time or place to meet because you already spend so much time in proximity.
- Collective Needs: Although people who live in your apartment community may come from different walks of life, they often have a lot in common. Similar needs and responsibilities help you find ways to connect on a professional and personal level.
You can build an uplifting and positive professional network without ever having to leave the community.
How to Network With Your Apartment Neighbors
If you want to get to know your apartment neighbors, you do not have to start knocking on random doors. Try these networking opportunities to get a sense for the movers and shakers in your community.
Community Events
Apartment communities often host regular events for people to get together. Although these events usually focus on leisure or entertainment aspects, some may provide professional development or other skill training. You can use these opportunities to get to know people in your community. Attend the community events and make a point of introducing yourself to at least one new person. Eventually, you will know the most active people in your community.
Gathering Spaces
If your community offers casual gathering spaces, such as a fitness gym, business area or entertainment space, get into the habit of going there on occasion. These areas might be empty most of the time, so you can ask the staff for information about the busiest times. Although these activities are often targeted at relaxation or refreshment, you can use them to find people with traits or habits in common.
Local Workspaces
If you want to get to know people in your community, inside your apartment and out, you should look for local workspaces. With an increase in remote work opportunities nationwide, many people rely on local workspaces when they do not want to work directly at home. These organizations often offer built-in networking opportunities and other events for professional growth and collaboration. As an added benefit, you can find a place to get your work done at the same time.
Online Platforms
Of course, many busy professionals do not spend a lot of time hanging out by the pool, so you may need to find them in other places. If your apartment community offers an online platform for communication, you can use it to talk to your neighbors and get a better feel for the community. Social networking sites such as Facebook or Nextdoor also maintain groups based on proximity. You can learn about important things happening in the community and find other ways to connect with your neighbors online.
Creating a useful and dynamic network does not have to involve combing the city for networking events. In fact, you may be able to build a practical and effective network right within your apartment community. By investing yourself into your community and its meeting spaces, you can gather and collaborate with fellow professionals.
Author bio: Business leader Ben Creamer received his B.A. from Saint Norbert College and graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School. After law school, he worked as an attorney and counseled sophisticated real estate clients with law firm Mayer Brown LLP. Creamer’s passion is real estate business, as his father was a real estate developer and broker for more than 50 years. In 2009, this family tradition sparked Creamer to co-found Downtown Apartment Company (DAC) — a provider of Chicago rental apartments. DAC’s mission is to help clients find downtown Chicago apartments in the Loop and surrounding neighborhoods.
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