We are all familiar with the saying 'it's not what you know, it's who you know'. This might have become something of a cliche, but there is still a strong element of truth behind the words. Knowing the right people can be an advantageous for your career in any sector, and rail is certainly no exception. 

However, most of us are not lucky enough to have an amazing list of industry contacts saved on our phone. This means you need to put some work in if you're going to make some connections that could potentially advance your career. So, with this mind, we've compiled a short guide that contains some useful advice on how you can successfully network in rail and potentially boost your chances of progressing in the sector. 

Industry events 
One of the best ways to meet new contacts is to attend industry events whenever possible. These occasions attract individuals from throughout the rail industry and represent an ideal opportunity to get to know new people in a professional, but not overly-formal environment. As well as providing a chance to mingle, attending events will develop your understanding of the sector, which will always come in useful when looking to progress up the career ladder. 

Some of the main events that take place in the rail industry include the Rail Awards - this year's event is taking place on Thursday (September 18th) - which celebrates best practice in the sector. November 5th will see 2014's National Rail Conference take place in Birmingham, while the same month will see The Future Rail Skills Conference and the Future of Rail 2014 hosted in London. Other events to look out for include the Rail Business Awards, Rail Safety Summit and Railtex.

Online 
The internet has changed networking forever and opened up a whole load of new possibilities. If you use the web effectively there is a good chance you might make some potentially useful contacts. LinkedIn is the key website for networking online and if you don't already have a profile you should create one as soon as possible. 

This social network essentially serves as a Facebook for industry professionals and is a great way to get your name out there and easily interact with other people in the rail sector. Joining relevant groups and becoming involved with any ongoing discussions will introduce you to new people and you should update your profile as often as possible to keep it relevant and interesting. 

While LinkedIn is certainly the most important platform when it comes to online marketing, other social media sites like Facebook and Twitter can be useful too if you get involved with industry discussions and provide your opinion on relevant topics. Being active in the right places on these sites might not seem like much, but it can be a useful way to break the ice and get into contact with other people in the rail sector.

Be patient
One of the key things to remember when networking is that you cannot expect results overnight. This process is all about building up contacts who might come in useful one day in the future. You cannot expect to attend an industry event, speak to a few people and receive a job offer the next day. Things just don't work like that. It's also important not to be too obvious that you are networking for the sake of career progression - you're far more likely to build relationships by taking a subtle approach that showcases your general interest in the industry.

Looking for a new rail job? Why not take a look at our vacancies and see if something catches your eye.