Executive Networking Strategy for Experienced Professionals

Your Network Has to Know What to Do With You

Someone can know you for 20 years and still have no idea what kind of position to recommend you for.

I see this more often with experienced professionals because careers get broader over time. Someone may have run operations, managed a large team, led a division, handled a turnaround and worked across several industries. All of that may be valuable, but it can also leave people wondering what that person actually wants to do next.

Before reaching out to people, I would get that part straight.

If a former colleague asks what you're looking for, the answer shouldn't require five minutes of career history. They should be able to walk away from the conversation with a pretty good idea of where you fit.

That matters because networking often works one conversation removed from the person you know. A former colleague may hear about an opportunity three weeks later. A client may meet someone who needs exactly the kind of experience you have. Someone may simply say, "I know a person you should talk to."

For that to happen, they have to remember what makes sense for you.

Start Conversations, Not Job Requests

I would be uncomfortable calling someone I haven't spoken with in five years and immediately asking if they know of any jobs. Most people probably would be.

I'd rather reconnect.

Ask what they're doing. Find out what has changed in their business or industry. Tell them what you've been doing and that you're considering what comes next. If the conversation naturally gets there, explain the kinds of situations that interest you.

That feels more like a professional conversation because it is one.

It also gives you information. People working in your industry know which companies are growing, which leaders are moving, where there may be problems and which organizations are changing direction. Sometimes that information is more valuable than a job lead.

And not every conversation has to produce something immediately. Good networking has a longer shelf life than that.

Make It Easy for Someone to Refer You

A referral is different from forwarding a job posting. The person making the introduction is putting some of their own credibility behind it.

That's why I think clarity matters so much.

If someone is going to introduce you to a CEO, recruiter, investor or another executive, they need to be able to explain why the introduction makes sense. You want to make that easy for them.

Your resume, LinkedIn profile and the way you describe yourself in conversation should all point in roughly the same direction. They don't need to use the same words, but they shouldn't leave three different impressions of who you are.

Executive recruiters can become part of that network as well, but I would approach those relationships differently because the recruiter is working on behalf of a client. I explain that distinction in my guide to working with executive recruiters.

Networking isn't about collecting contacts or asking more people for help. At this stage of a career, I think it's about making sure the right people understand where you can add value and giving them a reason to think of you when the right conversation comes along.

That is a much more useful network than a large list of names.