The beauty of networking is that you never know where a connection will lead. That person you just met at a conference may be the one opening the door to your new office next year.  It’s no secret that when it comes to career advancement, it’s not only what you know — it’s who you know. At Leadership Summit, ACSA members have the opportunity to strengthen their networks and increase the number of opportunities that come their way. Leadership Summit is ACSA’s premier conference for leaders at all levels — and expanding your network can help you be more visible when administrators, school boards and search firms are tapping their networks to find top talent. With some estimating that 80 percent of jobs are filled on the strengths of networking, it’s important to devote some time and effort to this pursuit. Here are six ways you can leverage networking at Leadership Summit to advance your career: 1. Get out of your comfort zone. Conferences can end up feeling like a middle school lunchroom — you hang out with your same people at your regular spot. It you want to expand your network, you’ll have to sit at a table with people from another region, introduce yourself to strangers, and be open to opportunities to socialize. Still feeling shy? Hit up the Membership Lounge, where you can find very networked ACSA staff members who can help you make a connection. 2. Let people know if you’re new. Being a first-time attendee at Summit may make you nervous, but use it to your advantage. Let the people you interact with know you’re new, and you just may score some useful tips and a few business cards. Newcomers should have also received an invitation to the First Time Attendee Breakfast, where you can meet with ACSA leaders and key staffers. 3. Make it mutual. Networking is not always about an ask. Make sure to give by offering your time, resources and expertise to the people you meet. This creates a bond so that when you need assistance (like a stellar letter of recommendation), that person will be there for you. 4. Seek out new skills. If you are eyeing a special education job, make sure to talk to people who are experts in this area. Ask them about how they got to where they are and what professional development could help fill in any knowledge gaps you may have. Whether it’s negotiations, facilities, business services, personnel, or equity, seeking contacts in areas where you lack skills can build confidence for getting the job you want.  5. Be intentional. Networking doesn’t just happen because you are sitting at a banquet table. Like many things in life, you need to set goals and execute plans to achieve them. Try making a list of people you want to meet (maybe that presenter who is knowledgeable in LCAP planning) and those you want to strengthen relationships with (like that job-alike from another district you met last year). Do some advance work — check out LinkedIn profiles and send notes to presenters saying you’ll be attending their workshops and would like to meet. Check out the list of presenters in the Event Schedule tab at www.acsa.org/leadershipsummit. 6. Wrangle the business cards. Designate a spot for all the new cards you’ll collect. Or go digital with one of the many apps you can download on your phone that enable you to scan the cards and pull information directly into your contacts. Tag them with “Leadership Summit” and make a point to follow-up via e-mail in a week to strengthen the connections you’ve made.