Networking (to find a job)

Networking is critical for your career. See our playbook on the basics.

This playbook will deep dive into specific tactics you can use while searching and explain how you can plug into the power of the Whispered Network to accelerate your network.

Who to reach out to

The first (and often the hardest) step in networking is knowing who to reach out to… who can help you.

Studies (including this one from HBS) consistently show that loose connections are critical for finding your next role. Don’t confine yourself to people you know well - push outside your comfort zone. Here are great great ideas to get you started:

• Connect with people working at your target companies
• Use specific roles to find people on LinkedIn who can connect you via backdoor connections
• Connect with peers to activate them when recruiters reach out to them
• Reach back out to old colleagues. They know you well so are great connectors plus never under-estimate the power of warming up references
• Vendors see new roles in your industry and host great events. Get on advisory councils, make introductions for vendors and get to know their CEOs
• Go to events and meet people there to spark new relationships and deepen existing ones

How to reach out

Once you know who you want to engage, there are sevearl approaches:

• Reaching out to let them know you are thinking of them (see below) with no immediate ask. People will often respond and ask how you are doing - creating an opening to talk about what you are looking for.
• Reach out with a specific ask. Even when you do this make sure to engage them personally and still look for a reason to personalize your note (use AI to research their LinkedIn for a reason) Don’t ask for people’s time (as that is scarce) but be specific on what you are reaching out for

Some ways to spark reasons to reach out:

• Podcasts: Listen to podcasts and when people you know (or want to know) appear on one drop them a note
• Articles/Posts: When you read an article that prompts a thought about someone or see something they post these are great excuses to reach out
• Role Changes: When connections get a new role, drop them a note to congratulate them
• Headline Change: You can easily use AI to monitor your connections LinkedIns for headline and location changes

Make it easy to help you

When you engage, make it easy for people to help you

• Be clear in what your focus is
• Know and communicate your niche
• Have your talk-track nailed
• Have a list of target companies this is is very easy for people you connect with to know if they can help
• Always seek ways to help in return

Using the Whispered Network

Even the best connected people won’t have the network to open all the doors. For this we built the Whispered Network (powered by the Swarm). A community of Whispered members and alumni who share their networks to open doors for each other. Below are tips on how to leverage the Whispered Network:

• Search for connections: Search directly in Claude with our MCP
• Ask for a backdoor to a target company OR a specific LinkedIn URL
• Get the people the network can connect you to
• See which Whispered members or alums can help
• Only ask for help if it is a good fit: Have self-awareness in the roles you chase. Whispered members are happy to make introductions when your background aligns. If a role isn’t a fit, expect honest feedback from us or other members.
• Asking for introduction: Once you identify the best potential connectors, reach out to ask them:
• Don’t use the swarm “Request Intro” button: It is impersonal
• Engage people personally first: If you don’t know them try “Hi X, I’m a Whispered member and saw you are (as well OR are an alum). I’d love to get your help with a possible connection if you are open to it.”
• Make a clear specific ask “I’d love to connect with X about Y role which I’m a good fit for because of Z. Do you know them well enough to reach out to them? I’m happy to write a blurb if that is helpful.” This works for a few reasons:
• It gives them information to write their own or the ability to ask
• It doesn’t force an intro but allows them to do a double-opt in if they wish
• It gives them the ability to say they don’t know the person well enough (even thought the swarm is powerful we all know there are many LinkedIn connections we each have that we don’t know well enough)
• If a member/alum isn’t responsive: Let the Whispered team know. We can also reach out and if they are consistently not responsive we may remove them from the network.

Below are a few additional tips on how to get the most out of the Whispered Network:

• Get to know other members before you need their help: Engage on slack, attend huddles and get LinkedIn to other members
• Give to get: Introducing fellow members is a great way to reconnect with folks in your network too so default to making the intro.