How to leverage your social network for your next big adventure
Quick actionable steps to turbo-charge your social network
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Toward the end of business school, I met with an accident and returned to India for my surgery after which I was bedridden for months. I had to let go of the job offers at the time and start paying off my education loan without anything in hand. The stress of restarting the recruitment process got to me. My peers were posting exciting updates about their new jobs on LinkedIn, and I seemed to be out of options. Far from being helpful, social media made things worse. I remember doomscrolling for hours and asking myself the most unhelpful question over and over again: Why me?
I decided to take a two-week break, clear my head, and figure out a more strategic approach to finding a job. I realized where I had gone wrong: I had been obsessively checking job portals and jobs on LinkedIn and applying for anything that seemed remotely interesting. I would reach out to people via DMs who listed jobs on LinkedIn, but neither did they know me nor did I know them. And I was one of the many hundreds who would have been using the same approach.
I tweaked my approach and landed a dream job at Microsoft where I worked for 7 years. After that, I built a company, Network Capital, that leveraged its social network to empower young professionals to build meaningful careers. Along the way, I learned some strategies that might help you find your next big opportunity by using your social network intelligently.
1. Build your brand and strive to become the go-to person for something you truly care about. It could be about product management, impact bonds, consumer behavior, or practically anything. The internet allows niches to scale. This means that even if your interest is obscure, there are people online who will find it interesting. Your goal should be to become the trusted voice on something specific that others lean on for insights. For example, when Ben Thompson shares his insights on technology trends, most people in the sector pay attention. This is not because he is famous but due to the fact that over time he has carved a niche in something he is genuinely interested in. While building your brand, keep in mind the importance of authenticity. There is no point in trying to sound or behave like anyone else. No one can beat you at being yourself. Investor Naval Ravikant says, “If you are building and marketing something that’s an extension of who you are, no one can compete with you.”
Be known for something specific; you don’t need to share your opinion on everything. Being focused helps. While I draw upon various academic disciplines like philosophy, organizational behavior, history, and business strategy, almost all my articles and books are about careers, specifically how millennials can build meaningful work lives in the 21st century. It helps my readers learn more about my core interests and connect with me if they deem fit.
The key insight is to have a strong recall value. When people think of a topic, you should aim to be among the first people they reach out to. Suppose an early-stage startup founder in your network is looking for her first marketer and you have consistently been sharing some of the most insightful ideas on growth strategies, she could reach out to you directly. If you send her an email, she is likely to respond because you have already demonstrated some expertise. This is how I got the opportunity to be an investor in several innovative education technology companies. The founders or core team members had been reading my posts and articles and believed that having me on their cap table would be helpful.