This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Alexander Smith, a content creator based in Austin. His identity and former employment have been verified by Business Insider. The following has been edited for brevity and clarity.
I worked in tech for about eight years at Facebook and Google. I also did internships in college at MSNBC and the White House under President Obama.
I’ve given people guidance and advice on how to navigate networking, create résumés, and interview. Posting on LinkedIn has allowed me to see both sides of this equation. I’ve seen how networking has opened doors to opportunities, and I’ve seen what works because I get a lot of messages, too.
In the age of AI, job cuts, and a lot of competition across industries, networking looks so different than it did 10 or 15 years ago. It’s one thing to have a really strong résumé and application. It’s another to get that in front of the key decision-makers.
My job at Google came directly from networking, and it helped with Facebook, too. I don’t think cold applications are completely dead, and it’s worked for me before, but it’s a much more competitive job market now, especially in tech. Sometimes highly qualified people aren’t getting to the interview stage because there are so many applicants.
People often feel the urgency to network when there is a pressing need for a job. I definitely think you can still have some success if you need a job next week, but it makes it a lot harder.
It’s really important to think of networking as a long-term strategy. I want people to view networking similarly to how they view investing in a 401(k). The habits and relationships you develop eventually do pay off, but you have to put time and energy into that.
Stay active on LinkedIn
There’s a lot of potential to build your network, develop it, and build a personal brand without becoming a content creator.
Sometimes, people recognize me when I reach out to them because of my LinkedIn content, and I’ve also had recruiters from big companies contact me. Building a personal brand has been helpful because it’s often a good icebreaker for conversation.
Be authentic
Authenticity always mattered in networking, but it matters even more now that there are so many AI-generated messages and posts on social media.
Some people view networking as stuffy and buttoned-up, but you can connect on a personal level and find common interests. That makes it more enjoyable and less something that you dread doing. For example, I talked to someone a few months ago about Kasey Musgraves and her new album. I also talked with someone who was on a sabbatical about taking time off to travel.
I also think finding a personal connection helps humanize you. You’ll stand out more if you find connection points, and it will show that you’re really paying attention to them.
Be empathetic
If you feel uncomfortable or awkward, that can sometimes be a signal that you may be forcing something that isn’t there, or asking too much in the first message.
Networking is really difficult. Even if you’re sending strong, well-researched messages. People are busy. People have jobs, families, hobbies, and a million other things to do every single day.
Don’t take it personally if you send 20 messages and you only hear back from a few people.
Having empathy and telling myself, “I know that this person has tons of things on their plate and I’m not taking it personally if I don’t get a response,” has helped me.
Target the right people
Sometimes people gravitate toward those they see consistently on their LinkedIn feeds. For example, you may see the same recruiters consistently posting about jobs, or content creators talking about the job search.
I really encourage people to message those who are not super active on LinkedIn. Many professionals are not active on LinkedIn or posting consistently, and I think people forget that a huge part of your network is not getting an overwhelming number of messages.
Sometimes people also connect with people who aren’t relevant to their career path. When I was at Google and Facebook, I had a lot of software engineers and data analysts asking for career advice, even though I was in a non-technical role. I was not the person to give them advice on interview prep.
Also, just because somebody is working at a big company that you want to work at doesn’t mean that they are the right person for you. That’s where doing your homework on someone can make a big difference.
