How do I build a professional network?
I have good news for you…we ALL have a network! It’s important to think about your network more broadly than who’s in your immediate sphere like former co-workers, a family member, or friends. This means approaching your network as being one, two, or three degrees of separation from you. For example: your co-worker’s wife who works at that start up you’ve been following and they just posted a Brand Marketing role you’re interested in. Or, there’s a Financial Analyst role you know you’re perfect for and your best friend’s room mate’s sister used to work there. These are people are your network.
Now that we’ve established the very important point that you do, in fact, have a network, let’s run through where to go from here:
Map it out. Let’s say you are full-fledged job hunting and you have the list of roles you’ve applied to (love that you’re staying organized, btw). Now it’s time to map out who you know and how you know them. Who do you know at these companies or that used to work there? Who do you know that knows someone there? This does not need to be a long list. Even identifying one person in your network can make all the difference in your search. If you aren’t using LinkedIn for this, now is the perfect time to start. College alumni networks are a great place to check out, too.
Prepare like it’s an interview. You’ve formally applied to the roles you’re interested and mapped out your network. Networking should be treated like the interview before the interview, no matter how informal or exploratory it’s intended to me. That’s why preparation is key. Be sure you’re ready to tell your story: who you are, why you’re interested in the role and company, and questions you’d like to ask. I use the word “story” very intentionally here. This is all about bridging these parts into a cohesive narrative, rather than stock responses. It takes practice and that’s why preparation is key.
Reach out, thoughtfully. A warm introduction is better than a cold one. When possible, ask the person you know to introduce you, through email or text, to the person you would like to connect with. Always, always be courteous and considerate when networking. This means being respectful of their time - working around their schedule, trying to keep your conversation to a max of 30 minutes, and never being late. Always send a thank you for their time, whether it was a quick phone call or they ended up sending your resume to the recruiter. Unless this person is the decision maker in the hiring process (they rarely are), don’t ask them to track down the status of your candidacy. It can put them in an uncomfortable position.
Just do it. If you’re like me, this might be outside your comfort zone. I get it. My internal dialogue would probably sound something like, “don’t inconvenience them!” or “what if they don’t reply? you’ll feel stupid.” Here’s what I’ve learned: most people like helping other people. I have found it is always worth giving it a shot (and doing it in the moment — just riiiiip the bandaid off).
Best case scenario, you found yourself a network. Worst case scenario, you tried something new. And that’s absolutely something to be proud of.
