The New Basics of Networking

Does just the word ‘networking’ give you the ick? It may conjure images of insincere people passing out business cards to strangers at an industry event, and for good reason. We’ve all been there. 

We have good news: that’s not networking. Instead, networking is the important process of building true professional relationships—not collecting transactional contacts on the off chance they help you get ahead someday.  

And your professional network is extremely important. According to HubSpot, 85% of jobs are filled via networking. That’s why we polled some of our expert career coaches for their top nuggets of advice for growing and leveraging your network.

Networking isn’t speed dating. 

Networking is just developing relationships and exchanging information—with someone you might already consider a professional contact, or even an acquaintance or friend. “Fortunately, a networking conversation doesn’t mean you’re asking for a job!” says Alyson Federico, a career coach at Korn Ferry Advance. “Any conversation can be a networking conversation." 

And networking takes time. Think of networking as getting to know the other person, instead of pitching yourself. Get excited about who you might meet and what you might learn, and what possibilities you might discover or initiate.

Take care of your network.  

“Don’t wait until you need a network to start building one,” says Tiffinee Swanson, a career coach at Korn Ferry Advance. Initiate and nurture professional relationships while you’re in school or comfortably employed, if possible. 

Networking is the most important part of the job search process. Often, jobs are filled without being posted publicly, and you can widen the pool of jobs you have access to when your connections know what you’re looking for. People further along in their careers often love to help and mentor someone just coming up in their industry. “Be prepared to tell your contacts how they can help you,” says Angela Galle Sylvester, a career coach at Korn Ferry Advance.  

Keep opening doors for yourself. 

When building a professional relationship, ask about your contact’s career journey and use their answer to think creatively about where your own path could lead. There are many paths to success! 

And be sure to ask for both advice and introductions. “Find out what would they would generally recommend for you, what other companies or jobs they think you should consider, and the names of anyone else they think you should speak with,” says Sunny Levitt, a career coach at Korn Ferry Advance.

Don’t be transactional, but apply a bit of strategy.  

Don’t stop at your inner circle when building a network. Have a clear picture of the job you want and identify companies that align with your values and passions. Find your “warmest” lead that works there and contact them via phone, email, or LinkedIn to get in front of a human as quickly as possible.

Ask your warm lead for an informational interview from someone in the department or role you want, even if they don’t have a job opening. Once they hear what you have to offer, you could get hired for a role that hasn’t even been posted! “It’s who you know that gets you in the door. It’s what you know and how you treat people that keeps you there,” says Michaela Buttler, a career coach at Korn Ferry Advance.