Make Networking Work! This week in Open to Work, we’re all about networking. For some, it comes naturally. For others, networking—whether in person or virtually—can be exhausting. No matter which group you’re in, focusing your efforts and setting boundaries is key. The group in our How to Get Hired workshop shared three strategies to help make networking work for you: ⏲️ Set Timers for LinkedIn – Being on LinkedIn all day can burn you out and take you away from “real life.” Set a timer—25 minutes to an hour—then take a break for some fresh air or an in-person chat. 🚫 Block Irrelevant Content – Don’t get sidetracked by clickbait or sales pitches. There’s a lot of dubious advice and negativity out there. Stay focused on what truly helps your job search. 🌈 Focus on Positive Interactions – Seek out people who are helping others, offering solid advice, or doing what you want to do. Focus on the smiles, not the smirks. Those terrific points didn't come from our coaches - but from some wonderful members of our community, Carrie Johnson, MA, Suz V., Dahlia Hanin - MA, CPC, ACC, Melissa Stepp and others. Join the conversation: www.opentowork.community
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Networking saved my LinkedIn career. (More number of times than I thought it could) Here’s the thing: Running a business alone can sometimes get lonely. You feel the urge to - ✓ Talk to people who understand your work ✓ Connect with people who share similar struggles ✓ Have a supportive group that always has your back This is why networking becomes important. Having a support system helps you - → Stay disciplined → Maintain motivation → Stay in the game for long → Share your progress and ideas → Improve your work through feedback Find people on LinkedIn who can be your support team. Work with them, collaborate, get on calls and share your stories. Thrive on LinkedIn together. Networking always goes a long way. P.S. Tag your LinkedIn support system or team in the comments.
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Networking isn’t about collecting business cards or firing off LinkedIn connection requests. It’s about people. Real, meaningful connections. Where do most go wrong? 1️⃣ They make it transactional. Thinking, “What can I get out of this?” instead of, “How can I help?” 2️⃣ They focus on quantity over quality. A hundred shallow connections won’t open the door like one strong relationship can. 3️⃣ They only network when they need something. Networking isn’t just for job hunts or fundraising. It’s about building a foundation over time. The best networkers? They’re the ones who genuinely care about the person in front of them. Here’s what works: → Be curious. Ask questions, learn about their story, and find common ground. → Give first. Share knowledge, make introductions, or lend a hand—without expecting anything in return. → Stay consistent. Check in, share updates, and stay connected—even when you don’t “need” to. Networking isn’t just about opportunities. It’s about community. When you focus on authentic connections, the opportunities naturally follow. What’s your best networking tip? #networking #connections #growth
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Networking for jobs is easier than applying online. But most people quit just before their big breakthrough. For most, networking is a new and unfamiliar process. Most who attempt to network do this: • Start reaching out to strangers on LinkedIn. • Don't see results after a week or 2. • Go back to online apps. They tell themselves: "Networking just isn't for me." Then they go back to what's comfortable—hitting "Apply" and waiting. In doing so, they abandon gold just inches beneath the surface. The truth is, networking has never 𝙣𝙤𝙩 worked. But it takes a bit of time to see results. If you want to win at networking, take a different approach: 1. Believe in the networking process 2. Don't expect to see instant results 3. Track progress and stay consistent The key to long-term success is trusting the process. Networking works when you're patient enough to see it through. P.S. In Person vs LinkedIn → Where do you prefer to network?
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The best "networking" advice I've ever gotten... "Don't network for the sake of networking. Put in the hustle, have detailed questions, and get feedback on your specific, concrete goals." Too many people try to advance their careers by asking for "networking calls" and then going into that call with no intention of crafting the conversation toward helping them with a specific, concrete, and already thought-out problem. Don't be like that. If you want to win the networking game: - Set one goal before the meeting - Pick their brain with detailed and specific questions - Show that you have put in the work and now need their help on just a few select points Even an ice-cold connection would love to help you at that point. Oh and complete the loop. Once you have implemented the advice, let them know how they helped it. It goes a long way.
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🔗 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Networking isn’t just about exchanging business cards or LinkedIn profiles—it’s about fostering genuine relationships that add value to both sides. Here are some tips to help you network effectively and authentically: 1️⃣ 𝐁𝐞 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞: Start with a mindset of curiosity and a willingness to learn. People can sense authenticity, and genuine interactions leave a lasting impression. 2️⃣ 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲: Focus on building a few strong connections rather than spreading yourself thin. A meaningful conversation with one person is worth more than surface-level chats with ten. 3️⃣ 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐀𝐬𝐤: Offer help, share resources, or provide insights without expecting anything in return. Networking thrives on mutual value creation. 4️⃣ 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚: Use platforms like LinkedIn to share thoughtful content, engage with posts, and connect with like-minded professionals. A simple comment can spark a valuable connection. 5️⃣ 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐔𝐩: After meeting someone, send a personalized follow-up message. Reference your conversation to show you were genuinely engaged. 6️⃣ 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭: Networking isn’t a one-time activity. Keep nurturing your connections by checking in, sharing updates, or celebrating their successes. 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫, 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐧-𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝. What are your go-to networking tips? Let’s learn from each other! Drop them in the comments below. 👇 #NetworkingTips #ProfessionalGrowth #BuildingConnections #CareerDevelopment #Resumetips #Opentowork #transitioning #JobSearch
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Networking isn’t a numbers game. it’s not about how many people you can shake hands with or how many LinkedIn connections you can rack up. It’s about making real, meaningful connections with people who can challenge you, support you, and maybe even have a laugh along the way! it’s not just about what you know but who you know! And no, you don’t need to be the most outgoing person in the room. You just need to be authentic. It’s not about impressing people; it’s about connecting with them. It is a long game. It’s not about instant results, it’s about planting seeds that can grow into opportunities over time. Follow up, check-in, and stay in touch. 🌸Send that "How’s it going?" message even when you need nothing. And hey, don’t forget to be grateful. A simple “thank you” after a conversation can leave a lasting impression. People remember those who appreciate them, and that’s a key ingredient in building a strong, engaged network. 📈 So, what’s your networking strategy? Whether you're looking for career growth or just building a community, focus on quality connections over quantity. Got a fun networking story or just looking to expand your circle? Let’s grab a virtual coffee ☕ and chat! #Networking LinkedIn Guide to Creating 4o
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Networking is not the same as having a network. Networking can be tough for some people. It's about getting out there, going to fundraisers, industry events, and awful happy hour after awful happy hour, and asking "So, what do you do?" For even the most experienced and confident among us, it can be daunting at best. Networking is good for meeting new people and developing new pipelines to opportunity. Having a network, however, is harder and takes much longer to develop. When I launched Wall to Wall Communications three years ago next month, I spent the first few weeks calling friends, old coworkers, business acquaintances, or anyone I had ever met at an awful cocktail party, asking for a coffee or a brief conversation about how I could be helpful to them or anyone they knew. This was not something I could have necessarily done five or ten years earlier in my career. I've worked for more than a few organizations over more than 20 years, from government to campaigns to private companies. I've been privileged to work with some of the best and brightest among us (and frankly, some of the not-so-best nor brightest). I would like to think I've been pretty good about keeping in touch with many of them through holidays, birthdays, career milestones, family triumphs, and tragedies. I make a point to drop emails, text messages, LinkedIn comments, and phone calls to people not only when I need something, but sometimes just to check in and chat. So when I culled through a decent list of more than 200 people who I thought might be able to help, I had a pretty good response rate. Obviously, not everyone had business for me on the spot. But they took my calls, had an open mind, and seemed to genuinely think about how they could help. More than a few circled back in the following months with thoughts and opportunities for me, some of which panned out. Many did not. The others whom I spoke to, I was just happy to talk to and reconnect after months or years away. That's a network. It takes time, attention, and energy, but learn to make "network" a noun, not a verb. Your career will thank you and you'll be better for it.
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Your networking efforts could be falling flat because your requests are too vague... Make it easy for them to help you. If they don't know how to help, they probably won't. When you ask, “Can you introduce me to someone?” you’re putting the work on them. Make your ask simple and effective: ✔️ Do Your Homework: Use LinkedIn to identify the right connections. Instead of a general request, ask for a specific introduction: “Could you introduce me to [name]? They’re in [industry/company], and I’d love to learn more about their role.” ✔️ Share Key Details Upfront: Provide a quick summary of who you are and why you’re reaching out. Make it easy for them to copy and paste an introduction. ✔️ Take the Lead: Lighten their load by offering to make the first move. For example: “I’m planning to reach out to [name] - would it be okay if I mention you?” Respecting their time makes all the difference. Networking doesn’t have to feel awkward or complicated. When you make it easy, people are more willing to say yes. Give it a go!
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99% of people on Linkedin are not going to respond to your networking message. But that 1% who do can change your life. Whether you are reaching out on Linkedin, in person, in slack or wherever, the odds are never in your favor. That’s why you need to look at networking as a game that you play forever, as a strategy, as a way to meet people who can share information. Your only goal when networking is to get information. Very few people want to network online- yet there are Millions of people- so you can find a few hundred that do, want to help you. Stop blocking yourself from the most important tool of the job search. Stop inventing excuses to not network. Unless you have a strong network in tech - spend your time building one. Message me 100k to get help networking.
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Ever feel like your LinkedIn network could use a little boost? You're not alone! Networking on LinkedIn can sometimes feel like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. Imagine having a tool that elevates your networking game effortlessly. That's where NetworkAI comes in. Picture this: You're scrolling through LinkedIn, and instead of feeling overwhelmed, you're connecting with the right people, engaging in meaningful conversations, and building relationships that matter. NetworkAI helps you do just that by analyzing your network and suggesting connections that align with your goals. Think of it as having a personal networking assistant that works 24/7 to help you grow your professional circle. Whether you're looking to expand your industry knowledge, find potential collaborators, or simply meet like-minded professionals, NetworkAI is there to guide you. So, what do you think? Ready to take your LinkedIn networking to the next level? Let's start building those connections that truly count!
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5moThanks Helen Freeman for your contributions to this discussion this week!