It’s Not Just Who You Know—It’s Who Knows You
Unlock the Career-Boosting Superpower of Meaningful Connections
Hi! This is where Jeanine and I share tips from the Design Career Handbook for you to chart and navigate a successful career path. I also share perspectives on what’s happening in technology and design. If you are looking for assistance on your journey, you can book a session on ADPList or reach out to discuss 1:1 coaching. - Kevin F
This is a companion post to last week’s Nail the Interviews. Be sure to check it out for tips on behavioral and technical types, frameworks to give convincing and succinct responses, and how to artfully navigate conversations. In this post on networking, I share highlights from another chapter in Part 3: Look for a Job from the Design Career Handbook.
Yes, all of the following will be obvious. But sometimes, when we hear advice over and over, we start to ignore it. You should not ignore this advice. Networking is more critical than ever. Not long ago, studies showed that 30-50% of job hires were through referrals. That was already a statistic worth paying attention to. In the past year, I’ve seen people casually estimating as high as 75-80%.
Now…I haven’t tracked down legit research on that stat. But I can tell you that it’s completely logical. With the sheer number of candidates applying to open roles, recruiters and hiring teams happily utilize any filters they can to reduce the number to evaluate. Of course, referrals aren’t guaranteed to be the best candidates, but that’s just not how the world works. Referrals will often, at least, get a preferred look.
Here are two more scenarios. A network contact may recommend you for a position before it's publicly shared. And if you are connected to, and actively seen by, recruiters or people responsible for hiring, they might just reach out to you.
Networking is a superpower that will serve you throughout your professional life. It doesn’t cost a thing and is one of the most important activities you can do to advance your career. If you are naturally social, it will come easy for you. It will take some work if you are more of an introvert. Networking is connecting with others and engaging on a deeper level.
Authentic networking is not (overtly) transactional
With a mindset that networking should be mutually beneficial, help others whenever you can. Think of it as karma—as you put positive energy out in the world, you’ll attract it back to yourself.
Consider what you have to offer. It could be supporting something that isn’t related to your area of expertise. It could be as simple as providing feedback on a project or leaving a comment on an article or social media post acknowledging a person’s thoughts and letting them know what you found insightful. You can elevate the reach of someone’s voice by sharing something they posted with your network and commenting on how you found it valuable. If you read someone’s book or saw them speak at a conference or an event, you can send a note of gratitude and tell them what was specifically helpful or inspiring. If you know an interest or skill that a person is developing, you can share a video, article, or online course that you ran across.
This is building up social capital. If you are helpful, over time, others will return the favor when needed. That’s the true value of networking. Look for opportunities to expand your network every day. This could be at school, an organization or community group you belong to, industry meet-ups and conferences, or even while you’re traveling.
The key is being curious about others. Strike up a conversation and offer to stay in touch, schedule a video chat, or meet for coffee in the future. Exchange contact information and connect on social networks.
Engaging with others is especially valuable on professional networks. You can follow peers, thought leaders, influencers in your field, organizations you want to know more about, topics you are interested in, and people working in industries or companies where you’d like to work. Adding your voice by commenting on posts, videos, and articles will help you stand out and get noticed. Don’t forget to add value, not just opinion, by including facts, information, references, or a unique perspective.
All this effort is necessary to become an active part of a professional community. Your engagement must be authentic, which helps you build credibility for what’s next. What’s that? Well, you will connect with people that you don’t know personally. That’s the power of building and expanding your network, especially when job-seeking. A growing network results in more people sharing opportunities and job referrals with you and actively elevating your voice in the community.
How to ask for a networking chat
You may have something to offer someone now or in the future, but you’re more likely to have a need first. The most common things you may seek are information and advice. For example, you may be interested in knowing what it’s like to work in a specific company, environment, or industry. You may wish to hear about someone’s career path. Or, you may be looking for interviewing tips for your field.
These are all great reasons to send a message requesting an informational interview or a casual coffee chat. These can be in-person if you live near each other, over video, or just a phone call. Typically, introductory meetings are 30 minutes. But they can be 45 minutes or even an hour. It all depends on the other person’s availability. Don’t forget to open your message with an authentic connection before you present a request. Here are a few ideas and a general format:
I read the article/book/paper you wrote on {topic}…
I saw the webinar where you spoke about {topic}…
I noticed that you are connected to {person}…
I learned that you are active with {an organization, initiative, or cause}...
…I’d appreciate connecting with you to follow your updates.
…I’d be grateful to learn more about {company, industry topic} from you.
…Would you be available for a 30-minute coffee, video chat, or phone call in the next week or two?
Now, I must be real and say that you will not hear back from many people. Don’t feel hurt. They’re likely very busy and get many inbound chat requests. Stay positive and keep working at it. I promise that those who respond do so because they are willing to be helpful.
When you get a positive response, the etiquette is to follow the other person’s lead if they provide a time frame for their availability and preference for how to connect. Ask how they’d like you to follow up and offer to send a calendar invite with details for an online video chat or a physical location. If they suggest their availability to meet, provide your email and phone number. Do your best to settle on details without too much back-and-forth.
After you schedule a meeting, prepare questions you’d like to ask. Be ready to answer questions the other person may have, too. Remember, conversations are two-way! It’s a good idea to send a short message the day before the meeting, reminding them of who you are, why you wanted to meet, and that you’re looking forward to it. If you requested the meeting, you must lead and set expectations.
Once you’ve thanked the person for meeting and exchanged introductions, they may prompt you to share more about yourself and your interests. Be sure to include the topic of your initial outreach. Be genuine and follow up with a deeper inquiry on whatever you referenced (e.g., content the person created, a mutual connection, an organization, etc.).
How a networking chat might go
How your informational interview or casual conversation goes from there highly depends on the situation. But it is the perfect time to demonstrate your curiosity. Here are just a few ideas of things you can ask:
Questions about their career path or professional field
What was it like to work at a specific company in the past, or on a product, or a campaign that they helped launch
What it’s like to work at their current company, its mission, values, the size and structure of teams, and how they collaborate with each other
Many of these questions are similar to those you might consider asking during a job interview. While networking, keep it professional. Avoid asking intrusive questions unless the other person shares something personal, such as about where they live, having a family or pets, or if they mention their hobbies or interests.
Remember that the other person is also trying to get to know you in these conversations. That helps them determine how best to provide support. They will pose questions that show their interest. They may ask what drew you to your field and about your career goals. There can be questions about prior experiences you’ve had. Queries often start with “Tell me more about…” to poke into something you mentioned.
More inquisitive questions may pop up if your interest concerns a job opportunity or if it’s a follow-up conversation. In those cases, an interviewer may, from a high level, assess your experience and professional acumen. As interviewers, we also like to mix in questions to gauge your growth mindset and how you keep up with the industry.
Respect the person’s schedule and ensure the meeting wraps up on time. Thank the person and ask if it’s OK to reach out again.
Bonus outcomes of networking
Ultimately, networking is a major way to learn more about the professional world and could lead to a job opportunity later. In fact, having a job referral could result in your application jumping to the front of the line. A recruiter or hiring manager could consider and review your materials ahead of other applicants.
Forging relationships with experienced professionals could also lead to mentorship opportunities. Even if informal, talking with people in your field will help you develop listening and communication skills while being immersed in the particular lingo.
Another benefit of networking conversations is that they help you build your personal story bank. In addition to all the experiential anecdotes you bring to the table, you’ll learn what other people find interesting about you by answering their questions and hearing how they respond to your questions. File these in your story bank and write them down to revisit when preparing for job interviews.
Building a solid network takes a lot of work and time. True relationships aren’t just transactional. Provide value without an expectation of something in exchange. Make a genuine effort to keep in touch and show an interest in updates.
Since last time:
I was honored to be the debut guest of Design Shift, a new podcast by Justin Lokitz, advisor, entrepreneur, educator, and author. Thanks, Justin! It’s shared in 3 formats:
Read a summary of our chat 📖
Listen to the audio podcast 🎧
Watch the full video interview 📺
We could always use your help spreading the word about our book. It would make an excellent gift for a recent design grad! Besides everything related to job searching and portfolios, it also contains plenty of advice, tips, and stories for working designers looking to advance their careers.
If you already have it, thank you! We’d be grateful for your review on Amazon. ✏️
Don’t have it yet? The Design Career Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Get a Job and Be Successful is available in paperback and ebook formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble online!