If networking isn’t at the top of your to-do list, it probably should be … unless you’re Beyoncé!
For the rest of us (and yes, that includes very senior profiles), networking is still one of the strongest career accelerators:
more learning, more visibility, better opportunities, and often… faster job options.
And yet.
When I ask my clients, “How’s your networking going?”
About 90% lower their voice and admit:
“Honestly… I haven’t really done anything.”
The reason they give me?
👉 No time.
The real reason?
👉 No motivation.
Because the word networking triggers discomfort, awkwardness, even horror. Cold messages. Silence. Rejection. Or worse: feeling like you’re bothering people.
But here’s the reframe I often work on with them:
Networking isn’t asking. It’s contextualizing.
Let me give you 2 recent examples.
Client #1 wanted a mentor, but didn’t know how to approach one.
Instead of sending random messages, we slowed down.
We identified leaders who:
had real expertise in the areas he wanted to grow in
showed signs of availability (active posts, thoughtful comments, group participation)
One potential mentor stood out. He was senior AND engaged.
So my client did his homework: followed his content, joined the same groups, commented genuinely.
Only then did he reach out , with context:
“Your posts on X really resonated with me. I’m navigating a similar space and would value your perspective. Would you be open to a short chat?”
The response? Yes.
Client #2 had just lost his job.
Here, clarity mattered even more.
Instead of saying “I’m looking for opportunities”, he framed his message around:
what he was looking for
why he was reaching out to that person
and what kind of insight (not favour) he needed
Something like:
“I’m exploring roles in mission-driven teams like yours and saw your colleague’s post. Would you be the right person to ask a quick question about X?”
Again: response received.
The best time to build your network was 20 years ago.
The second best time? Now.
Play the long game. Engage before you need anything. Respect people’s time, platforms, and boundaries.
And remember: rejection isn’t failure.
It’s proof you’re moving, stretching, and growing.
Start small. Start now.
If you want a job, you’ve read the articles, understood the theory, and nodded along thinking “yes, I get it”…
but you still haven’t taken concrete action,
it’s time to move. »» Put yourself in motion and reach out.
It starts with a simple conversation .. where I’ll show you how fast things can move when you’re not doing it alone. 🚀
Yours
Stephanie .
