85% of jobs come through networking: 6 ways professionals can build connections that last
According to LinkedIn, most opportunities do not start with an application but with a relationship. Around 85% of jobs are traced back to some form of networking . The number is often quoted, but what it signifies is more important. The strongest networks are built when nothing urgent is at stake. They grow in the quieter periods, when conversations are not shaped by immediate requests and when people can connect without calculation.
Professionals who want to build a durable community need practices that hold over time, not quick outreach in moments of need. These are six principles that shape such networks.
Keep your presence polished and active
Before reconnecting with anyone, ensure your online footprint reflects who you are today. Update your LinkedIn profile, refresh your photograph and revise your headline and biography so they describe your current work.
Curate what you read and follow. The content that fills your feeds will influence what you think about and who you meet. Follow people whose work you respect, including those in adjacent fields. Engage with newsletters, podcasts and creators who broaden your perspective.
Being visible is not the same as scrolling. Share your reflections, comment thoughtfully and join conversations on platforms that make sense for your field. You do not need final answers. Curiosity signals credibility and helps you enter rooms that you may not yet be in.
Reconnect intentionally
Make a list of former colleagues, classmates, project partners and people you met at conferences or events. These are relationships with some shared history. Check whether you are connected on LinkedIn or other professional spaces.
Set a simple routine of reaching out to a few names each week. Send a short message reminding them of how you previously worked together. Add a positive comment on something they have shared. Small gestures of recognition often open the door to renewed connection.
Meet without an agenda
Networking has long been framed as a structured exchange, often tied to a request. The most valuable conversations, however, tend to be those without an immediate outcome in mind. They are relational rather than transactional.
When you contact someone, offer to meet for a coffee, a short video conversation or a walk. Ask about their work and how life has unfolded since you last spoke. Share what you appreciated about your earlier connection and express a wish to stay in closer contact. Sincerity is remembered far longer than a polished script.
Stay present in your current circle at work
Networking does not only happen outside your organisation. Your colleagues shape your learning, your growth and your opportunities. Schedule time to meet people across teams and discuss how you can support one another.
Some professionals call these conversations check ins or encouragement sessions. Others use the time to reflect on achievements and compile a shared record of contributions. Whatever the format, the aim is to create a steady rhythm of connection within the workplace.
A meaningful relationship at work does not require identical interests or backgrounds. It rests on mutual respect and the feeling that both people are seen and heard. Aim for at least one such check in every month.
Acknowledge your peers regularly
Recognition is a simple and effective way to strengthen any network. Offer LinkedIn recommendations that describe how someone has influenced your work or supported you during a difficult period. Send a brief email to acknowledge a colleague’s expertise or explain what you learned from them.
If your organisation has an internal system for celebrating contributions, use it. Public recognition builds trust and signals that you view success as shared rather than individual.
Keep learning for yourself and for others
Curiosity is an underestimated element of networking. The more you grow, the more you can bring to conversations. Read widely, attend events, ask questions and stay informed about developments in your field.
Learning also shapes how others experience you. People value someone who listens, who asks thoughtful questions and who brings new ideas into discussions. Over time, you become a person others seek out because the interaction leaves them energised rather than drained.
Professionals who want to build a durable community need practices that hold over time, not quick outreach in moments of need. These are six principles that shape such networks.
Keep your presence polished and active
Before reconnecting with anyone, ensure your online footprint reflects who you are today. Update your LinkedIn profile, refresh your photograph and revise your headline and biography so they describe your current work.
Curate what you read and follow. The content that fills your feeds will influence what you think about and who you meet. Follow people whose work you respect, including those in adjacent fields. Engage with newsletters, podcasts and creators who broaden your perspective.
Being visible is not the same as scrolling. Share your reflections, comment thoughtfully and join conversations on platforms that make sense for your field. You do not need final answers. Curiosity signals credibility and helps you enter rooms that you may not yet be in.
Reconnect intentionally
Make a list of former colleagues, classmates, project partners and people you met at conferences or events. These are relationships with some shared history. Check whether you are connected on LinkedIn or other professional spaces.
Set a simple routine of reaching out to a few names each week. Send a short message reminding them of how you previously worked together. Add a positive comment on something they have shared. Small gestures of recognition often open the door to renewed connection.
Meet without an agenda
Networking has long been framed as a structured exchange, often tied to a request. The most valuable conversations, however, tend to be those without an immediate outcome in mind. They are relational rather than transactional.
When you contact someone, offer to meet for a coffee, a short video conversation or a walk. Ask about their work and how life has unfolded since you last spoke. Share what you appreciated about your earlier connection and express a wish to stay in closer contact. Sincerity is remembered far longer than a polished script.
Stay present in your current circle at work
Networking does not only happen outside your organisation. Your colleagues shape your learning, your growth and your opportunities. Schedule time to meet people across teams and discuss how you can support one another.
Some professionals call these conversations check ins or encouragement sessions. Others use the time to reflect on achievements and compile a shared record of contributions. Whatever the format, the aim is to create a steady rhythm of connection within the workplace.
A meaningful relationship at work does not require identical interests or backgrounds. It rests on mutual respect and the feeling that both people are seen and heard. Aim for at least one such check in every month.
Acknowledge your peers regularly
Recognition is a simple and effective way to strengthen any network. Offer LinkedIn recommendations that describe how someone has influenced your work or supported you during a difficult period. Send a brief email to acknowledge a colleague’s expertise or explain what you learned from them.
If your organisation has an internal system for celebrating contributions, use it. Public recognition builds trust and signals that you view success as shared rather than individual.
Keep learning for yourself and for others
Curiosity is an underestimated element of networking. The more you grow, the more you can bring to conversations. Read widely, attend events, ask questions and stay informed about developments in your field.
Learning also shapes how others experience you. People value someone who listens, who asks thoughtful questions and who brings new ideas into discussions. Over time, you become a person others seek out because the interaction leaves them energised rather than drained.
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