Expanding Your Network Beyond People You Know or Knew

Expanding your network with people you don’t know yet can seem intimidating, but it’s a necessary step to growing your professional connections and career. Expanding your network beyond your immediate circle helps you gain insights into your target industry and opens doors to potential opportunities.

Why You Should Reach Out to Strangers

Reaching out to people in your target industry or at your dream companies can give you a leg up in your job search. These are the individuals who can provide insider information, offer advice, or even refer you for a position.

April Little , an executive career coach, recommends taking a non-transactional approach when connecting with new people. That means not immediately expecting anything in return. Instead, aim to build a relationship based on mutual respect and shared interests.

How to Approach Cold Outreach

When you reach out to someone you don’t know, it’s important to be respectful of their time and clear about your intentions. Start with a personalized message, mentioning why you admire their work and how it aligns with your career goals.

For example, you could say: “I’ve followed your work at [company] for some time via LinkedIn, and I admire your approach to [specific aspect of their work]. I’m currently looking to transition into [industry/role], and I’d love to hear more about your experience if you’re open to a quick chat.”

Keeping the request small — like a 10-minute call or coffee — makes it more likely they’ll agree to connect. If they don’t respond, don’t take it personally. People are busy, and it might take a few follow-ups before they’re available.

Building and Sustaining New Relationships

Once you’ve connected, it’s important to follow up and continue nurturing the relationship. A thoughtful thank-you message after your conversation can go a long way. From there, keep in touch by engaging with their content on LinkedIn, sending relevant articles, or offering to help them in some way.

The key to networking with new people is to be patient and persistent. Relationships take time to build, but the long-term payoff can be substantial. Expanding your network in a meaningful way will ultimately help you navigate your career with more confidence and open up new opportunities.

(This article was compiled by Andrew Seaman , using previous reporting from his weekly Get Hired newsletter .)