Today, we’re going to explore one of those factors that can actually matter MORE than how much experience you have.
That factor is your personal network.
Ordinary people shrug and treat their network as just another word, something that “other people” have but they do not.
Top performers know that if they lost their job on Friday, they could make a few phone calls and send a few emails — usually, fewer than 10 — and have a job offer by Monday.
That’s the power of networking. Compare this to the horror stories you see written up in newspapers about people unemployed for months or YEARS.
Top performers can have another job in days (not a typo).
In fact, using their networks, top performers actually hear about unadvertised jobs that ordinary people do not.
I know because I’ve been on both sides of the table. And today, I want to pull back the veil to show you how natural networking actually works — ethically, and at the highest levels.
I want to be crystal clear about two things.
1. Building a powerful network is not easy.
If you want something easy, go find some stupid blog that posts Top 10 Career Tips for Success!
My students work harder than ordinary people, but they also get massively disproportionate rewards. For example, if the average person spends 1 hour a week sending their resumes out, my students will spend 3…but they’ll get 10x the response rate. That’s what I call disproportionate results.
2. Building your network is not about sending a fake email to someone, pretending to be interested in them, then asking for a job.
If that is your goal, leave. Building real relationships is about investing in them first, figuring out what they want and love, and then helping them get it — NOT instantly expecting a magical job offer.
In fact, most of the “networking” you do will simply be helping people and getting nothing back in return. If this makes you uncomfortable and you want a 1-for-1 ROI on your work, leave.
When you change your mentality about networking, understanding that it’s about adding value instead of extracting it, you will see massive changes in your life. I won’t just tell you this — I’ll show you.
Step 1: Outreach
One of the easiest ways to make your outreach about the other person is to comment on something that's happened in their career.
Tip : Recognize A Career Event
For example, let's say you want to work in advertising at Google and you come across my LinkedIn profile. You see that I made the transition from American Express to Google so you decided to lead with that. Here's an email you might write:
Networking Email Template: Career Changes
Subject: Your transition from Fintech
Hi Rajeev,
I hope you're having a great week! My name is [Your Name] and I found your LinkedIn profile while I was looking for people who made the transition into tech from a non-traditional background. Your experience moving from American Express to Google was really impressive.
I know this is a big ask coming from a stranger, but I'd be incredibly grateful for the chance to ask you a few questions about that transition. It could be over the phone or via email, whatever is easy for you.
Again, I know this is a big ask coming from a stranger so I totally understand if you don't have time. Either way, I'm wishing you the best and hope you have a great week!
Best,
[Your Name]
Boom! See how we made that email about them?
We mentioned the transition showing that we did our research and we acknowledged that this was a big ask in a cold email, taking the pressure off.
That kind of email goes a long way and will help boost your response rates as you're learning how to network.
Step 2: Ask Relevant Questions
Learning how to artfully relate discussions to something a person just said to you, or find a question that leads you into another conversation, is incredibly important to having meaningful interactions.
Relevant questions are the perfect bridge in most situations.
If someone just told you a story about their last business trip and you’d like to learn more about the work they do, you could easily ask:
What do you enjoy the most about this job/industry that you couldn’t find elsewhere?
or
“Now, tell me, is this the work you thought you’d be doing a decade ago?”
Thoughtful questions like these will help you get to know a person and their work on a deeper level, and in turn, help you understand what value you might be able to offer them.
Step 3: Follow Up & Leverage The “Loop De Loop”
When it comes to networking, many people struggle with starting a conversation, but it's even harder to know what to say after the first interaction. That's where the Loop De Loop comes into play.
The Loop De Loop is a strategy that will help you get in the door with almost anyone and it will help you continue the conversation as you build the relationship:
The Loop De Loop is a 3 step framework that you can leverage to start a relationship, during a conversation with a connection, or as a follow-up. Here's how it works:
Ask your contact for specific, actionable advice (give them two options to choose from)
Go take action on that advice and get results / take note of learnings
Follow up with your contact sharing that you took action on their advice, share your results/learnings, and then ask for more advice
Thank you so much for your time -- it was incredibly helpful.I think my next steps are A, B, and C. Do you think I’m on the right track?
This creates a cycle. You ask for advice, you take action, and then you ask for more advice!
The reason this works so well is because of the benefits you get with that follow-up.
When you show someone the results of taking their advice, they realize a few things.
First, they feel valued because someone actually took their advice.
Second, you illustrate that you're the type of person to roll up your sleeves and take action.
That means the next piece of advice is likely going to be deeper, and better than the first piece.
You're building the relationship with each follow-up!
Key Takeaways For Learning How To Build A Network
There you have it! I hope this guide provided an actionable foundation for you to build off of as you start learning how to network the right way.
To be clear, this guide barely scratches the surface. Networking is more of an art than a science, and the best relationship builders are constantly experimenting and testing with ways to better connect with more people.
If you remember those guidelines as you work to connect with people who can elevate your game and change your life, you'll become a networking master in no time!
Few Networking Hacks
Become a Top Commenter
Leaving meaningful comments on relevant industry posts on platforms like LinkedIn can help you get noticed by others in your space, and even by creators themselves.
If you’re interested in connecting with someone, always check to see if they’re active on LinkedIn. If they are, start leaving short, insightful comments.
This is a good way to warm them up before sending a connection request.
Build Your Digital Presence
People don’t want to connect with faceless profiles. Aside from adding a photo and tagline to your online accounts, consider setting up a simple website where you can send people who want to know more about what you do.
Want to land your dream job that pays you more, makes you excited to go to work or has a work-life but doesn't have relevant experience or getting rejected online?
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