Establishing contacts at media organisations as well as getting to know experts and leading figures in specific fields is a big part of the groundwork freelance journalists have to do to ensure a regular stream of ideas and commissions.
Staff writers also need to constantly expand their network of contacts to source new stories, but whether you're looking for leads or an in at a particular news organisation, networking can be a difficult process.
Farahnaz Mohammed of HackPack pointed out some mistakes that are easy to make when networking in this blog post published in September. She collected examples and tips by interviewing journalists and editors about their experiences of being approached by early-career reporters.
As well as including mistakes to avoid, Mohammed also offers some advice for building connections that last.
Some of her key tips include researching a person's portfolio before approaching them for a favour, and making sure you focus on the person rather than the company they work for, no matter how much you'd also like to work there.
Free daily newsletter
If you like our news and feature articles, you can sign up to receive our free daily (Mon-Fri) email newsletter (mobile friendly).
