Some of the best mentorship for professional growth and development can come from your connections

By Josh Velten

Business professionals worldwide use networking as a tool. It’s a social construct that allows professionals in particular fields to reach out to each other for relationship building and personal and professional development. Being able to bounce ideas off peers and utilize them as a resource for personal and professional growth is an opportunity many first responders miss.

Firefighters and other first responders seldom take advantage of networking. Genuine networking – not following Facebook pages or podcasts, but real, old-school networking –  is an opportunity many have but few take advantage of. Imagine coming back from every conference or training with the names of a couple of people you can call to bounce ideas off or get some helpful advice.  

Networking, especially outside your own department or immediate geographic area, has many benefits for first responders, especially those hoping to move up the ranks and excel in the service. From improving mental health to career advancement, networking provides numerous benefits to those willing to reach out.

Knowledge Sharing 

How many times can we benefit from an expert in the field, or at least someone who is practicing ideas and methods we may be considering? Research is great, but imagine being able to reach out to someone who’s already familiar with the issue and has first-hand knowledge they’re willing to share. Maybe it’s a contact you made at your last conference. 

Your networked connection is someone who can answer your questions immediately, in real time, with relevant answers that cut through all the fog of data and information out there. Find out what worked for them or their department and what did not. Get pros and cons that will not be biased to your situation or department. Unbiased information in the fire service can go a long way.  

Then, after getting the answers you needed, imagine being able to do it many more times as you work through your network of contacts. Vast amounts of information are out there to be shared through your network, from items as trivial as what emergency light manufacturer is preferred to as involved as SOP development, it is all available to you.

Mentorship and Guidance

Some of the best mentorship for professional growth and development can come from your network. As your network grows, seasoned professionals in the fire service can pass down guidance in areas such as career development, certifications and higher education, professional memberships to achieve or organizations to join, or simply mentor you as you move through a difficult time in your career.

The easy part is most firefighters and department leaders love to share information and their opinions. Whether in a classroom full of learners or one-on-one, simply asking can lead to great mentorship opportunities.  

Gaining New Perspectives

Let’s be real, the engine bay floor is not the best place to find fresh perspectives on how the fire service or your department is viewed. As we strive to make the fire service more diverse, turning to your personal network can be the best way to gain insight on how your own ideas or department decisions, let alone the fire service, stack up to other races or genders.

One of the biggest values of networking opportunities is the diversity they offer. Building a network that includes men and women, as well as multiple ethnicities and cultures, can really open your eyes to how the fire service is performing and meeting the needs of this growing first-responder population.

Job Advancement and Opportunities

For those whose focus is on career advancement and moving up through the ranks, maintaining a network can quickly develop into opportunities. Getting the inside scoop on positions or having that key network connection as a reference to vouch for you could be the difference in getting the job.

Many fire departments share openings internally before making them public, and having a connection on the inside can give you a boost in the process. Network peers may be able to recommend you for a job, or at least offer insight into the career opportunity beyond the simple job posting.

Many firefighters and those in the fire service have chances to take advantage of networking opportunities. Yet they’re wasted due to several factors, such as not seeing the value in it, lack of interest, or looking at these opportunities as work and not necessarily a chance to socialize.  

Conferences, workshops, and training sessions are perfect opportunities to reach out beyond the expected department representation and meet fellow fire-service personnel at a social level. If firefighters can let their guard down a bit and get to know some fellow firefighters beyond the purpose of the gathering, great things happen.