Why your next career breakthrough might come from someone you already know
When you think about advancing your career, what comes to mind? Probably updating your LinkedIn profile, attending industry conferences, or perhaps reaching out to recruiters. These are all worthwhile strategies, but there’s a powerful resource that many professional women overlook entirely: the connections you’ve already built throughout your life.
We spend so much time trying to forge new relationships and expand into unfamiliar circles that we forget about the goldmine of contacts we’ve accumulated along the way. Your former colleagues, classmates, mentors, and even that person you met briefly at a workshop five years ago could be the key to your next opportunity. The challenge isn’t necessarily meeting new people. It’s nurturing and reactivating the relationships you’ve already established.
This isn’t about being transactional or treating people as stepping stones. It’s about recognizing that professional success rarely happens in isolation. The most fulfilling and sustainable career growth often comes from authentic relationships built on mutual respect, shared experiences, and genuine interest in each other’s success. Let’s explore how you can tap into your existing network in meaningful ways that benefit everyone involved.
The power of familiar faces in unfamiliar territory
Making a career change can feel isolating. Whether you’re pivoting industries, returning to work after a break, or climbing toward leadership positions, you might feel like you’re navigating uncharted waters alone. But here’s something interesting: you probably know someone who’s been exactly where you are now or who can connect you with someone who has.
Women, in particular, tend to underestimate the strength of their networks. Research consistently shows that women are less likely than men to leverage their connections for career advancement, often because they worry about imposing or appearing opportunistic. This mindset holds us back from opportunities that men routinely access through their networks.
Think about the various communities you’ve been part of throughout your career and education. Each represents a pool of people who share common ground with you, understand your capabilities, and might be in positions to offer advice, introductions, or opportunities. These aren’t strangers you need to impress from scratch. They’re people who already have context about who you are and what you bring to the table.
The beauty of reconnecting with people from your past is that you’re not starting from zero. There’s already a foundation of shared experience. Maybe you survived the same challenging professor together, worked late nights on a difficult project, or bonded over shared career aspirations. That shared history creates an instant rapport that’s much harder to establish with cold contacts.
Unlocking the potential of educational connections
Your university or college years weren’t just about earning a degree. They were about building relationships with people who were at a similar life stage, sharing similar ambitions, and often going through formative professional experiences together. Fast forward ten or fifteen years, and those same people are now established in their careers, working across various industries and companies, and in positions to help each other in ways none of you could have imagined back then.
Yet many professionals lose touch with their educational communities entirely after graduation. Life gets busy. You move cities, change jobs, start families, and before you know it, years have passed without meaningful contact with the people you once saw daily. This represents a missed opportunity, especially for women who often face unique challenges in male-dominated industries and can benefit tremendously from a supportive network of peers who understand their journey.
Staying connected with your educational community doesn’t mean you need to attend every reunion or constantly post on social media groups. It’s about being strategic and intentional. A strong alumni network, such as EnterpriseAlumni for instance, provides structured opportunities to maintain these valuable connections without the awkwardness of reaching out cold after years of silence.
These networks often facilitate mentorship programs, industry-specific groups, and regular events that make reconnecting feel natural rather than forced. They also provide access to job boards, exclusive opportunities, and insider knowledge about companies where alumni work, which can be invaluable when you’re exploring new career directions.
The key is approaching these networks with the right mindset. You’re not just looking for what you can get. You’re exploring how you can contribute while also benefiting from collective wisdom and support. Perhaps you can mentor recent graduates, share your expertise in panels or workshops, or connect people within your network who could help each other. This reciprocal approach makes networking feel less transactional and more like building a genuine community.
Building authentic relationships in a digital age
We live in an era where we can “connect” with thousands of people without ever having a meaningful conversation with most of them. Your LinkedIn might show 500+ connections, but how many of those people would you feel comfortable reaching out to for advice or support? Quality matters far more than quantity when it comes to professional relationships.
Authentic networking isn’t about collecting business cards or adding everyone you meet on LinkedIn. It’s about identifying people with whom you have genuine common ground and investing time in building real relationships. This is particularly important for women, who often report feeling uncomfortable with traditional networking that can feel forced or superficial.
Start by thinking about people you genuinely enjoyed working or studying with. Who made you think differently? Who challenged you in productive ways? Who showed kindness during difficult times? These are the relationships worth nurturing, regardless of whether those people can immediately help your career. Often, the most valuable connections come from unexpected places.
When reaching out to someone after a gap in communication, be honest and specific. Rather than sending a generic “Let’s catch up!” message, mention something specific you remember about them or reference a shared experience. Explain genuinely why you thought of them. People respond much more positively to authentic outreach than to messages that obviously template.
And here’s something crucial: offer value before asking for favors. Share an article relevant to their work. Congratulate them on a recent achievement. Make an introduction that could help them. Building goodwill makes future asks feel natural rather than awkward. Remember, networking is a long game, not a series of transactions.
Navigating career transitions with support
Career transitions are becoming increasingly common. The days of spending your entire career at one company or even in one industry are largely gone. Most professionals now navigate multiple significant career changes throughout their working lives. These transitions can be exciting but also daunting, especially when you’re moving into unfamiliar territory.
This is where your existing network becomes incredibly valuable. Someone who knows your capabilities, work ethic, and personality can vouch for you in ways that a resume never can. They can introduce you to hiring managers, provide insider information about company cultures, or offer honest feedback about whether a particular opportunity aligns with your strengths and goals.
Women face unique challenges during career transitions. Gender bias, concerns about resume gaps, and the confidence gap can all make career changes feel riskier. Having a strong network of people who believe in you and can advocate on your behalf helps counteract these challenges. It’s not about leveraging privilege. It’s about ensuring you have the same access to opportunities and information that others might take for granted.
Don’t wait until you desperately need help to reach out. Maintain relationships consistently, even when everything’s going well. Check in with people periodically. Celebrate their wins. Share relevant opportunities or information even when there’s nothing in it for you. This consistent engagement means that when you do need support, reaching out feels natural rather than opportunistic.
Practical strategies for reconnecting and staying connected
Knowing you should maintain your professional network is one thing. Actually doing it consistently is another. The key is developing sustainable habits that don’t feel overwhelming or fake. Here are some practical approaches that work:
Set aside thirty minutes monthly to review your contacts and identify three to five people you haven’t spoken with recently but would like to reconnect with. Send personalized messages asking how they’re doing or sharing something relevant to their interests. This small investment of time keeps relationships warm without becoming a full-time job.
Use calendar reminders strategically. After meaningful conversations with contacts, set a reminder for three or six months later to check in again. This ensures you don’t lose touch with people who matter simply because life got busy.
Share content generously. When you come across articles, opportunities, or resources that might benefit someone in your network, send them along with a brief note. This keeps you on their radar in a helpful, non-demanding way. It shows you’re thinking about their success, not just your own needs.
Attend events selectively but consistently. You don’t need to go to everything, but showing up regularly to certain gatherings (whether in-person or virtual) helps you stay visible and engaged with your communities. Choose events where you genuinely enjoy the people and content rather than forcing yourself to attend things that drain you.
Be generous with introductions. If you know two people who could help each other, make an introduction. This positions you as a connector and someone who adds value to your network. It also makes people more likely to think of you when opportunities arise.
The long view: Investing in relationships that last
Career success isn’t just about skills, credentials, or hard work. It’s also about the relationships you build and maintain throughout your professional journey. The most fulfilled and successful professionals tend to have strong networks of people who genuinely care about their success and whom they care about in return.
This isn’t about being calculating or treating people as means to an end. It’s about recognizing that we all do better when we support each other. For women navigating careers that may involve unique challenges, having a strong community of supporters, advocates, and allies can make the difference between feeling isolated and feeling empowered.
Your existing connections represent years of relationship-building that you’ve already invested in. Don’t let those investments languish unused. Reconnect with people who matter. Contribute to your communities. Show up for others. Build relationships based on mutual respect and genuine care. The career benefits will follow naturally from that foundation.
Remember, your next opportunity might not come from a stranger or a formal job application. It might come from someone who already knows what you’re capable of and wants to see you succeed. Stay connected, be generous, and invest in relationships for the long term. Your future self will thank you.
