9 Networking Tips and Tricks For Changing Careers
Professional networking is one of the biggest stumbling blocks for people looking to advance or change their careers. The good news: I’m sharing nine simple-yet-game-changing networking tips and tricks you can start using today.
For many people, the word “networking” brings to mind sales-y cold calls, massive networking events, and the fragile facade of pretending you’re not asking for a job when all you really want is a job.
This is because most of us have been doing it wrong.
Networking shouldn’t be insincere, transactional, or awkward.
In addition to helping you gain valuable insights for your next career move, career conversations can be energizing and—dare I say—enjoyable.
It’s been repeatedly shown to be easier and faster to get jobs through relationships.
Yet day after day, people avoid networking and spend their time sending a stream of CVs into the Internet Job Search Vortex.
A quick scroll through LinkedIn comments will remind you how demoralizing this is.
So why do we sign up for a process we know is biased and broken and put off the one that actually works?
Because we make networking so darn painful. When really it’s an opportunity to connect with other humans, gather critical information that will help us make better decisions faster, and nerd out on the topics that light us up.
Read on for professional networking tips and tricks you can use to talk with people in a way that’s authentic, engaging, and fruitful. Ready to move beyond the obvious career options to ones you couldn’t have imagined?
9 Networking Tips and Tricks
1. Focus On People, Not Outcomes
Networking done right is about building real, human, mutually-beneficial relationships.
Yet so many people take a transactional approach to their conversations—as if the other person is a pawn just to get to the thing they want.
I call this “navigating” energy. It feels bad and limits your success.
Instead focus on the other person:
Why do you want to talk to them (as opposed to anyone else)? What’s important to you about their opinion? What do you find intriguing about them?
If you’re not curious and excited to hear what they have to say, it's not the right person.
After all, a job may last a few years if you’re lucky, the right relationships will last a lifetime and span multiple opportunities.
Check out the video below for more on this simple shift to easier, more authentic networking conversations. It’s one of the most powerful networking tips and tricks there is.
2. Have the Conversation You Want To Have
So many people keep these conversations surface-level instead of having the conversations they really want to have.
Even if someone immediately offered you a job, how would you know if you actually wanted it?!
Networking conversations are opportunities to do serious due diligence about the person and the organization they represent.
Don’t just ask for their story. Go deeper.
Find out what makes them tick, what keeps them up at night, what would they change if they could? Do they think it’s normal to log back on after dinner?! Is there a culture of collaboration or competition?
Get real answers your deal-breakers and must-haves that you just can’t get once you’re in the interview process. Is this a place that will set you up for success? Is what they want aligned with what you want?
It’s also a great opportunity to talk about the topics that light you up.
I’ve had so many coaching clients get opportunities modified or created for them simply because they spoke with passion about the ideas and questions that mattered to them.
Ditch the small talk (no one likes it anyway!) and get straight to the good stuff.
3. Sow Seeds, Reap a Harvest
Somewhere along the line, "networking" became synonymous with handing out business cards and making meaningless small talk in soulless conference rooms.
This is a deal-breaker for my introverts.
And extroverts often lament that they often have great conversations that don’t really lead anywhere.
A few strategic, thoughtful conversations will benefit you way more than a bunch of transactional, surface-level exchanges.
Go for quality over quantity.
You’re planting important seeds about the sort of opportunities you’re looking for and what you bring that’s unique. You’re getting to know them so you can do the same.
You’re creating an image in this person’s mind. How clear is that image?
Are you giving them enough that they can connect you to people and opportunities? Will they think of YOU in two months when a new role comes across their desk?
This is how you create a steady stream of opportunities coming your way—even when you’re not actively looking.
If you want to talk to 1 person a month, great. If you want to talk to 5 people a week, also great!
It’s foremost about having powerful conversations and building real relationships.
Are you scattering seeds randomly, or carefully planting and nurturing them?
See also The 3 Components Of Effective Networking
4. Resist the Urge to Resist
One of the most powerful networking tips and tricks is to remember that most people are eager to help.
You resist reaching out to the people who are best placed to help you because you don't want to inconvenience them. Or “waste their time.” Or some other subtle-yet-destructive devaluing of your self-worth.
I bet if I asked how you’d feel if someone asked for your time, you’d say something like:
“I’d feel really flattered.”
“Of course I’d talk to them!”
“I’d do whatever I could to help because I know what it’s like to be in their shoes.”
So why would you assume 99% of the population would be any different?
5. Follow Up and Double Down
Following up is one of the easiest—and most overlooked—networking tips and tricks that you can start today.
Sometimes people don't respond right away. Stop short of making it mean something about you, what you did wrong, or what you lack.
Vacations, sick time, getting slammed with work, and inbox overload are just some of the reasons people can inadvertently miss your email or call. Follow up.
90% of the time, the person responds immediately, apologizes profusely, and then proceeds to HELP YOU.
If they don’t respond after a reasonable effort, move on.
The more conversations you have, the easier they get...and the less time you have to worry about people not responding.
I’ll bet you can think of at least 1 person you could follow up with. Do it now.
6. Don’t Pick Your Nose Or Other People’s Brains
Ugh, this one drives me crazy. One of the most important networking tips and tricks is to tell. people. what. you. want.
But most people are so concerned about the perception of “asking for a job,” they forget to mention that they’re looking for a job!
They set up the conversation by saying, "I just want to pick your brain." This is neither specific nor true.
If you want people to help, you must tell them what you want.
Yes, you should look for opportunities to provide value. Yes, you should make the best use of everyone’s time. Yes, it’s okay for both parties to get something out of the conversation.
Telling people what you want is NOT asking for a job.
Tell them you're interested in making a career change and your timeframe for doing so. “I’m looking to make a change in the next 3-6 months, so I’m conducting some research now.”
Tell them what’s important to you. “I’m researching organizations that put their people first, and I’m intrigued by all the positive employee reviews on your website.”
Tell them your strengths. “I love recommending product improvements based on customer feedback and working closely with management to pick the best option.”
Don’t bury the lede!!! You’re not just calling for a chat. You’re not just picking their brain. You’re making a career change, and you’d love their help.
7. Use Your Conversations To Get Clarity and Momentum
The #1 networking mistake people make is thinking they have to know exactly what they want before they talk to people.
Talking to people brings powerful clarity and momentum.
Here's a shift: rather than feeling like you need to walk into these conversations having allll the answers, approach them as thought-partner conversations and invite the other person to help you find solutions.
The woman below was concerned about talking to people before she was “ready” and felt like her FinTech start-up idea was “half-baked.”
The result? The conversations helped validate her ideas, fill in the gaps, and enlist partners along the way that brought her start-up to fruition faster.
It all started by talking to people about what she wanted and bringing them into her “half-baked” thinking.
8. What the Heck Should I Say?
Most people really enjoy the conversations once they find a way in. So it’s really just about overcoming this mini hurdle to get to the good stuff.
Here are a few common networking scripts based on questions I get from clients. Use them as a starting point, then make them your own.
Script #1 – First contact with a stranger, usually a quick email or LinkedIn message.
“Hi, [name]. I’m thinking of making a career change and am researching potential roles and organizations that would be a good fit. I found you on [where/how found], and your career history looks so interesting and similar to the change I’d like to make [or other explanation for why you’re reaching out to them]. Would you be up for a 30-minute phone call or coffee? I’d love to get your opinion on [xyz].”
Script #2 - How do I talk to people when I don’t know what I want to do yet?
Maybe you don’t have a crystal-clear picture of what you want to do. Or maybe you’re looking for a bespoke role with a mix of responsibilities that can’t easily be summed up with a crisp job title.
Talk about what you do know. The conversations will help you figure out the rest.
“I’m looking to work for an organization that has a strong commitment to improving education [or other focus, attribute, or mission]. I’m incredibly passionate about it, so I’m looking for opportunities that would allow me to use my [list 2-3 key interests, strengths, skills] to make a real difference. I’d love to get your thoughts.”
One of the most valuable and overlooked benefits of these conversations is that they’re a fantastic way to uncover potential opportunities you might not have even imagined on your own.
A client had initially explored a few potential career paths. As she started telling people the elements of the role what she wanted, multiple people suggested she look into Product Management. It hadn’t been an option we’d considered in our little coaching bubble, yet it ticked all the boxes of what she wanted.
Had she limited the conversation to focusing on a particular job title, she might have missed out.
I know it can seem like a disadvantage to not have 100% clarity going into these conversations, but I urge you to see the advantage of using the conversations to come up with better options than you would on your own.
After you tell people what you think you want, get in the habit of asking, “What do you hear when I share that description with you?” You’ll be surprised how many doors such a simple question opens.
Script #3 – “All my experience is in a different area.”
I hear this one all the time. People know they can make a transition to a new industry/role/organization, but they struggle with how to emphasize their future potential over their past experience.
In this scenario, the following formula works great:
Your passion/interest + relevant strengths as they apply to the new opportunity + transferrable experience + where you want to expand on that experience.
“I’m passionate about educating people about nutrition. I’m pretty good at breaking down the science into actionable steps that make sense to people. I’ve done this in my current role behind-the-scenes, so I’d love for it to be the centerpiece of my next role, since I really love interacting with people face-to-face."
9. Suspend Disbelief
Talking to people about what they want is what many job seekers dread most about career change, yet once they do it, they’re blown away by the results.
Every week I get messages from clients registering their amazement at how willing people are to help once they tell them what they want.
It’s not the most eloquent of testimonials, but I’ll take it! After much networking cynicism and self-doubt, this guy landed a career-making role.
Please please please stop wasting your time, energy, and self-confidence applying for jobs that don’t excite you anyway. Or jumping through hoops just to be told no in the 5th round.
Take back your power and invest it in connecting with people you like and respect. It will pay dividends.
What Networking Tips and Tricks Would You Add?
Bottom line: You get to have conversations with people you like and respect on topics that energize YOU. Your approach to building relationships gets to be as authentic and exciting as the career you’re trying to create.
Once you shift what you think networking should be into what you actually want it to be, you’ll realize the real power of engaging others in helping you achieve your career aspirations.
If these networking tips and tricks helped, I go much deeper into how to make your next career move WITHOUT doing the frenzied internet job search or applying for jobs that don’t really fit you in my 6-week group coaching course. Check it out.
Ready to turn your conversations into REAL career opportunities?!
Join me—and an amazing group of inspiring career changers—for a powerful 6-week career coaching experience:
Learn more about “Design a Career You Love” today
Author Bio:
Before becoming a coach, Caroline worked in management consulting and financial services. She's made it her mission to help people grow, contribute, and get wherever they want to go.
She’s also a tennis fanatic, aspiring Minimalist, FIRE (Financial Independence and Retire Early) enthusiast, and Aloha Spirit seeker 🤙. She loves to share stories from her unconventional life and career focused on freedom, creativity, fun, health, family, and community. If she can do it, you can, too.
The life and career you want is truly possible once you have the roadmap. Take the first step by downloading her free 4-step career roadmap.
