Most People Wait Until They're Desperate to Start Networking. That's Like Building a Parachute After You've Jumped.
Networking isn't about coffee chats and business cards. It's about building relationships before you need them, so when opportunity shows up, you're already top of mind.
Most People Wait Until They're Desperate to Start Networking. That's Like Building a Parachute After You've Jumped.
Most people wait until they're desperate to start networking.
After they've been laid off. After the ghosting starts. After the job market beats them down.
That's like trying to build a parachute after you've jumped.
The Truth About Networking Most People Get Wrong
If your name isn't coming up in the rooms where decisions get made, you don't exist to the people who matter.
That's not cynical. That's how hiring actually works.
The hidden job market - the roles that never get posted publicly - is filled through relationships. A senior leader mentions a gap to their network. Someone they know and trust recommends a name. That name gets a call before a job description is ever written.
If you're only in the running for posted jobs, you're already competing with hundreds of other candidates. You're playing a rigged game.
Networking isn't about being extroverted. It's not about coffee chats or business card swaps.
It's about building relationships before you need them, so when opportunity shows up, you're already top of mind.
How to Build Relationships That Actually Open Doors
Engage meaningfully on LinkedIn. Not likes. Actual comments that add to the conversation, ask a real question, or share a perspective. People remember commenters more than they remember likers.
Share insights, not fluff. Post things that demonstrate how you think - about your industry, your function, the problems you've solved. Thought leadership builds credibility. Credibility builds trust. Trust builds relationships.
Comment like someone who gives a damn. Generic "Great post!" comments are noise. A specific, thoughtful response to what someone shared is signal. Signal is what gets you remembered.
Offer value without asking for anything. Introduce two people who should know each other. Share a resource. Answer a question in your area of expertise. The relationship bank gets deposits before you can make withdrawals.
The One Thing Most Candidates Forget
Most people are so focused on getting picked that they forget they can be remembered.
Being remembered is where everything starts.
Not the application. Not the resume. The relationship that makes someone say, "Actually - I know exactly who you should talk to."
That's the Hireability Chain Reaction: visibility builds relationships, relationships build opportunities, and opportunities become the offer before anyone posts a job.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Without it, you're limited to applying for jobs that are already visible to everyone else."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "How do I start networking when I've never done it or when I've let my network go cold?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Start with people you already know in some context - former colleagues, LinkedIn connections you've never engaged with, people whose work you follow. Re-engagement is always easier than cold outreach. Comment genuinely on their content. Reach out to say something you noticed about their work. Ask a real question. The goal in the first touch is not to ask for anything - it's to restart the relationship."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "Is networking really necessary if I'm already applying to jobs?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "The data says yes. Estimates consistently show that 70-80% of jobs are filled before they're ever posted, through referrals, internal moves, and network relationships. Applications alone put you in competition with hundreds of people for the visible slice of the market. Networking gets you into the hidden market where most of the good roles actually live."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "How does networking connect to the Theory of Hireability™?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Networking is the engine of the Hireability Chain Reaction. The Theory of Hireability™ is built on becoming the Candidate of Choice - and candidates don't become the obvious choice through applications. They become the obvious choice because decision-makers already know them, trust them, and have them top of mind when a need arises. That position is earned through consistent relationship building, not resume submissions. 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What is the Hireability Chain Reaction?
The Hireability Chain Reaction is the sequence Lindsay Mustain teaches inside the Theory of Hireability™: visibility leads to relationships, relationships lead to opportunities, and opportunities lead to offers - often before a job is ever posted publicly. Networking is the mechanism that starts the chain. Without it, you're limited to applying for jobs that are already visible to everyone else.
How do I start networking when I've never done it or when I've let my network go cold?
Start with people you already know in some context - former colleagues, LinkedIn connections you've never engaged with, people whose work you follow. Re-engagement is always easier than cold outreach. Comment genuinely on their content. Reach out to say something you noticed about their work. Ask a real question. The goal in the first touch is not to ask for anything - it's to restart the relationship.
Is networking really necessary if I'm already applying to jobs?
The data says yes. Estimates consistently show that 70-80% of jobs are filled before they're ever posted, through referrals, internal moves, and network relationships. Applications alone put you in competition with hundreds of people for the visible slice of the market. Networking gets you into the hidden market where most of the good roles actually live.
How does networking connect to the Theory of Hireability™?
Networking is the engine of the Hireability Chain Reaction. The Theory of Hireability™ is built on becoming the Candidate of Choice - and candidates don't become the obvious choice through applications. They become the obvious choice because decision-makers already know them, trust them, and have them top of mind when a need arises. That position is earned through consistent relationship building, not resume submissions. Learn more at TheoryOfHireability.com.
What should I say when I reach out to someone in my network after a long gap?
Be honest and specific. Something like: 'I've been heads-down for a while and realized I've let some important relationships lapse - yours included. I've been following your work on [specific thing] and wanted to reconnect.' Don't lead with asking for anything. Just open the door. Most people are more receptive to genuine reconnection than most networkers expect.
