Your Weakest Network Is Your Strongest Chance At Success

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My very first job out of college came from my mother’s ex-best friend’s cousin. I met my husband via a third-party connection on Facebook (Thanks, Hinge!). My first Broadway at Work sale came from my best friend’s former colleague.

All the greatest successes I’ve had in life have come from the weakest links in my network. My first circle–co-workers, bosses, friends, and family–have provided my best source of camaraderie, mentorship, and day-to-day advice giving.

But it’s my second and third tier network that has provided my greatest professional advancements.

Why? Your strongest network is going to know you best, they’re going to know your strengths, but they’ll also know your weaknesses. They’re more likely to support your endeavors, but also more likely to box you into whatever you’ve done before.

The outer rings of your network are new. There is no emotional tie to you. Professionals working today know the power of expanding their network and the good ones know the power of professional karma in helping others get ahead.

So, here are some ways to make your strongest career moves with your weakest network connections:

  1. Use Your Social Network: Tap into the power of your social network (I’ve found Linked In and Facebook to work best for me), but you must be incredibly specific about what you’re looking for. Create a list of why you want to expand your network, and whom you’re looking to meet. Save for “I’m looking for a new job because my current one sucks,” you can’t go wrong with being honest. Here’s how I asked my social network for help, by admitting a big failure in my life.
  2. Create Your Own Networking Event: When I was an assistant working for the CEO of a company, I recognized the power of other assistants to high-powered people. So I created a monthly dinner called Supper Club. The rule was, everyone in my circle had to invite someone in their circle, and so on.
  3. Ask Your Mentor or Boss: I love a great tag along. I’ve encouraged (and probably even pushed) to be included in meetings with my bosses under the great guise of “taking notes.” Encourage your boss to let you tag along, take notes, and learn.
  4. Cold Contact: You’d be surprised the caliber of people out there willing to meet with you just because you asked nicely (and stroked some ego). I remember a young man not even out of high school whom I met at the Junior Theatre Festival one year. This enterprising young chap found me on Twitter a few weeks prior to the event, told me how much he admired the Playbill Pride series I created and asked for a few minutes of my time when we both arrived in Atlanta for the Festival. He was polite, complimentary, and respectful of my time. And I was thankful to meet with him, too, and to know that my work actually impacted people outside of my own circle.

Finally, make a regular goal to meet with someone new (start out monthly and then try bi-weekly and maybe even weekly). No matter where you are in your career, expanding your network is always a good thing. You never know the strong moves that lie ahead thanks to a weak network connection!

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