Developing a robust network is critical to your professional success. After all, it’s often your primary source of business opportunities and referrals. But what if you don’t know the right people who can help you?
How to Make the Right Connections When You Don’t Already Have an “In”
If you’re new to your field or you’ve changed locations, you may not know the right people to connect you to business opportunities. To grow your network, try these five strategies. 1) Embrace specificity: tell your existing contacts exactly who you want to meet, whether that’s employees at a certain company (“I’d love to consult for Google”) or in a particular role (“Do you know anyone who is a VP of human resources?”). 2) Be willing to accept “six degrees of separation.” Of course, it’s much easier when your friends know the right people and can introduce you directly. But if you’re willing to take the extra time and effort to cultivate multiple chains of connections, you can often end up in the right place. 3) Speak for free in unlikely places. 4) Create content to attract the right people to you.