When to Start Building Your Professional Network

I had a conversation with a 26-year-old who had been given the advice not to build relationships with coworkers or others in his industry that could be competitors. The advice he received from a mentor was that you are in competition with people … And you can’t trust them. I disagree with that suggestion and believe the opposite is true for young professional professionals (actually my advice goes for people of all ages)… if you’re thinking about the long-term, you need to need to network, network, network…. but let’s go a layer deeper. Building relationships in your industry and your community isn’t about collecting business cards or followers. It’s about investing in yourself for the long game. Here are three reasons to start early: 1. All opportunities come from people – always. Jobs, clients, introductions, mentors, partnerships… they rarely come from cold applications or online likes, links, shares, or follows. They come from trust. And trust takes time. If you want doors to open in your 30s, 40s, and beyond, the time to build meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships is right from the start. 2. Reputation grows while you’re not looking. How people talk about you when you’re not in the room matters (and yes, people in your company and your industry. Do talk about you behind your back). Get involved. Show up. Volunteer. Help others succeed. The compound interest of your reputation starts accruing the moment you engage. 3. Community anchors you when things get hard. Careers aren’t straight lines. There will be pivots, setbacks, and reinventions. There will be recessions and layoffs that happen. Having a network of trusted peers, colleagues, and mentors makes the tough times survivable…. and the good times even better. When I speak to organizations that have young professionals… I am very clear that they need to think about how and why they” choose . Show up. Be curious. Give more than you take. It all adds up. #HumanInteraction #NetworkingMatters #CareerGrowth #UncommonConnections

The worst time to build your network is when you need it. There I said it. Here’s the thing: The job market is unpredictable right now… Layoffs, hiring freezes, uncertainty everywhere. We have all been there - desperate, scrambling to reconnect, looking for connections and hoping someone will open the door. Truth is, networking isn’t just for when you need a job. It’s what you invest in when you are thriving. Think about it: - Have you checked in with former colleagues lately? - Are you in touch with your old mentors?                                                                    - Do you make the effort of engaging with people outside your immediate circle? - Do you offer help as much as you ask for it? I recently reached out to my former super boss after a decade and got a warm reply. You will be surprised how much people are open and willing to connect. A strong network isn’t built overnight. It comes from genuine conversations, staying in touch, and showing up for others, even when you don’t need anything. And when the time comes? Those connections could make a big difference. So, if you’re in the middle of a job search (or thinking ahead), don’t wait. Start reaching out now. Build relationships before you need them. Need a place to start? Let’s connect. My inbox is open.

Most people network when they need something. The best leaders build relationships years before they ask. I have been building relationships in community development for over 15 years. Some of those relationships turned into partnerships. Some turned into funding. Some turned into opportunities I did not see coming. But none of them started with an ask. They started with showing up. Listening. Adding value. Staying connected. When I became CEO of Houston Land Bank - HLB in 2022, I did not start from zero. I had relationships with funders, government agencies, community organizations, and developers that I had been building for years. The corporate funder who gave $300,000 with a 2-pager years ago? I just ran into her the other night. She does not work for that organization anymore, but we had a genuine moment of excitement and caught up like old friends. She was the first funder who believed in me. That value goes beyond the money. Here is what I learned about building relationships before you need them: 🔹 Show up to spaces where the work is being shaped 🔹 Add value before you ask for anything 🔹 Follow up consistently, not transactionally 🔹 Document who you meet and what matters to them 🔹 Build relationships across sectors 🔹 Be patient You do not build relationships when you need help. You build them long before the need arrives. Here is how to start: 🔍Identify 5 people or organizations you want to build relationships with. 👩🏾💻Reach out with no ask. Acknowledge their work. Ask a thoughtful question. Offer something useful. 📲Stay consistent. Follow up every 3-6 months. Share something relevant. Celebrate their wins. ✍️🏾Document the relationship. Keep notes on what you learn. When the right opportunity comes, you will know who to call. The best time to build relationships is before you need them. Start now. 🤔 Who is one person you need to connect with this year? Drop a comment. #Leadership #Networking #RelationshipBuilding #CareerGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment #CommunityDevelopment #Partnerships #StrategicNetworking

Early in your career, you don’t need anything from your network. That’s exactly when you should build it. I was mentoring someone three years in—crushing it at work, wondering what’s next. I told him this: The relationships you build now matter more in year 5 than anything you perfect in year 2. Not because networking is fake. But because 3–4 years from now, when you need: → market data → an intro → someone to vouch for you …those relationships will already exist. You can’t just call someone you barely know and ask for a favor. But you can call someone you’ve had meaningful conversations with for years. Start now. Not because you need something today. But because you will tomorrow. Thoughts on early career networking?

One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make? Waiting until they need a job to start networking. I see it all the time. Someone loses a job, dusts off their LinkedIn profile, and starts cold messaging people for leads. By then, it’s already an uphill battle. Here’s the truth: Networking isn’t always about asking for a job. It’s about building relationships before you need them. The best time to connect with recruiters, hiring managers, and others in your industry? Right now! Wherever you’re at in your career. ✔ Engage with posts from people in your field. ✔ Send connection requests with a genuine note. ✔ Share your own insights and show up consistently. Then, when you do need a new role, you won’t be reaching out to strangers! You’ll be tapping into a network that already knows you. As a recruiter, I spend a lot of time creating relationships with people that I may not have a job for today. But I’m always thinking about the kinds of jobs we typically fill and constantly reaching out to relevant candidates. I’d be really behind if I waited to create those relationships all at once when a new job comes out. The same goes for job seekers. If you wait until you need a job to start networking, you’re already playing catch-up. Start building those relationships now. Engage. Connect. Be visible. Because when the time comes, you want your network to think of you before you even have to ask. #recruitingengineers #networking #jobseeker #jobhunt

“But I’m not looking for a job right now.” I hear this all the time as a reason someone isn’t interested in learning more about LinkedIn. Here’s my advice: Don’t wait until you need your network to start building it. Think of it like any other relationship. My husband and I dated for over 18 months before he asked me to marry him. If he had popped the question on day one, I’d have run for the hills! 🏃♀️😂 That would’ve been weird, right? Networking is the same way. People do business with those they know, like, and trust. And here’s the kicker: 80% of new jobs come from a personal connection. So start building your network long before you need to ask it for anything. Here’s how: ✅ BUILD a profile that reflects you—and keep it updated. ✅ CONNECT with people you know now and those you've worked with in the past (people move around—stay in touch!). ✅ POST to help others understand who you are and what you do. ✅ INTERACT to support your network and stay visible. Engagement is a two-way street—it’s how you give to the network, not just take from it. When the time comes that you do have an ask, your network will already know who you are and be far more willing to help. So start building now—before the ask. 🤩

Most people wait until they’re unhappy or laid off to start networking. That’s the biggest mistake you can make in your career. As a Recruiter, I hear "I’m not looking right now" every single day. And I get it—you’re focused, you’re loyal, or maybe you’re just tired. But here is the hard truth: "I’m not looking" is often code for "I’m closing doors I haven’t even peeked behind yet." When you turn down a 15-minute introductory call because the timing isn't "perfect," you aren't just saying no to a job. You might be saying no to: • A 30% market salary correction you didn't know you were missing. • A leadership culture that actually aligns with your values. • The "dream role" you didn't even know existed. The best time to network is when you don't need anything. That’s when you have the most leverage and the clearest head. Don't wait for a "Reorg" to start building relationships. Take the call. Hear the story. You can always say no later—but you can’t say yes to an opportunity you never heard about. #CareerStrategy #Networking #Recruitment #TalentAcquisition #GrowthMindset

Graduating soon? Well, if you’ve taken my courses, you probably have mastered the 4 Ps of marketing — but let’s talk about the 5th P: People! #Networking isn’t just about collecting business cards or adding random LinkedIn connections at 1 a.m. It’s about building authentic relationships that outlast your student ID. For any major, especially those about to toss the cap, here’s why networking is your current and certainly post-college superpower: Opportunities travel through people, not job boards. Most great roles never make it to the 'public' listings — they’re shared over coffee, not clicks. Yes, I've experienced both, being confident as the 'in' candidate and being the disappointed 'out' contestant who got 'crickets.' #Mentors are shortcuts to #wisdom. Why stumble blindly when someone else already left a trail of breadcrumbs (and LinkedIn posts) for you to follow? “It's said that a wise person learns from his/her mistakes. A wiser one learns from others' mistakes. But the wisest person of all learns from others' successes.” Learn the lesson! Your network is your reputation multiplier. When smart, reliable people know you, #opportunities start finding you. Surprised?! #Networking isn’t schmoozing; it’s curiosity with a purpose. Ask good questions. Follow up and follow through. Offer #value — even if it’s just enthusiasm and thoughtful conversation. I encourage the use of the TRI acronym to keep focused. TRI = Tools, Resources and/or Information. As you TRI networking, you can share or ask for a useful Tool, a key Resource or the exchange of valuable #information in your job search. So before you walk across that stage next month or next spring, start #building #bridges and fortify them. Reach out to #alumni, attend panels, seminars, industry gatherings, professional associations, and connect with classmates outside your usual circle(s). The degree gets you in the room — but your network keeps the doors open. Leverage it! It is true...you #network is your #networth. Start now. Your future you will thank the present you. Good luck!

The worst time to build your network is when you need it. Too many professionals wait until they’re job searching to start reaching out to their contacts. By then, it often feels transactional, awkward, and—let’s be honest—too late. But I’ve learned this: The strongest relationships are built when you DON’T need anything. That’s when you can connect authentically, add value, and invest in your contacts without putting any pressure on them with a request. After all, nobody likes being approached ONLY when someone wants something. But if a former colleague reaches out just to share a best practice, offer support, or swap ideas? You’ll probably jump at the chance to reconnect, and you’ll make a mental note of how helpful they were. So when they DO have an ask? You’ll be ready to show up for them. My hot take: Networking isn’t for job seekers. It’s for career builders. So here's my challenge to you this week: Pick one person you admire (inside or outside your company). Send them a genuine note, comment thoughtfully on their work, or invite them for a virtual coffee. No agenda—just connection. 👇 What’s the most meaningful relationship you’ve built when you weren’t looking for a job?

The worst time to network is when you're looking for a job. But it's also when most people start. Back in 2013, I was fired from my dream job. For the first time in 8 years, I was unemployed. And I realised something terrifying… I had: * No UK network (I hadn't grown up here) * Spent 8 years focused only on my Nike bubble * Zero connections at my dream companies I realised very quickly - the best roles weren’t going to be advertised online. If I wanted to work for Apple, Google, Facebook, Twitter…. I’d have to network my way in there. But I had to start from zero. Reaching out cold. Making awkward "hey, remember me?" calls. Asking ‘Can you introduce me to your friend?’ It felt desperate. Because it was. So I made myself a promise: Never again. When I landed at Apple, I did something different: * Meet one new person for coffee every week * Zero agenda except genuine connection * Industry peers, LinkedIn connections, even Instagram contacts The goal wasn't "get a job." The goal was "build real relationships." Here's what nobody tells you about networking: 1. Start before you need it 2. Give more than you take 3. Build it while you're happy and stable Because the best opportunities? They come from conversations, not applications. 💡 Want to know the exact system I used to build a network that opened doors at Apple, Google, and beyond? DM me "NETWORK" - I'll share the strategies I teach inside Creative Career Level Up.