How to Build a Network That Works for You in Tech Startups

Episode Transcript

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Alicia Thomas (00:00:00): Hey, I'm Alicia, and you're listening to Non Founder Crew, your Insider Guide to Surviving and Succeeding in Tech Startups. In this episode, I'm diving into one of the questions I get asked about constantly and wish someone else had broken down for me when I was finding my way working in tech. And that is how to build your networking while working at a startup.

(00:00:25) Now, I know for a lot of people, even the mention of the word networking is enough to make some shutter. Let's be real. For a lot of us, networking feels a lot like flossing your teeth. You know, you should do it, but you don't until you're on the hunt for your next job. Or in the case of flossing, it's like two days before you see the dentist.

(00:00:43) I know networking can feel super cringey for many people. I used to be one of those myself. I remember when I had no clue how to network. It felt like I was imposing on someone or being annoying hell. It really just felt awkward, and from my fellow introverts listening, you're not alone. (00:01:00) This was one of the hardest skills I had to figure out in my professional career.

(00:01:03) I look back to my early attempts to network and I genuinely cringe. For a while, I thought it was all about going to a meetup or a conference and trying to strike up a conversation with total strangers or folks I maybe tangentially knew. I just end up hanging with a coworker, looking around a room full of people, and the only thing I would come away with was a hangover the next day from all the free drinks at the networking happy hour.

(00:01:26) It was not a productive use of time, but I cannot stress enough how important networking is. Once I built a framework for how to network and built it into my day-to-day, it radically changed my career. With the mindset and behaviors I defaulted to, it unlocks something incredible. A switch from having to go out and hunt for my next job to a somewhat constant influx of inbounds.

(00:01:49) People were coming to me. I know so many people are struggling right now to find a job. It's absolutely brutal out there. And with AI added to the mix, it's even more of a shit show.

(00:02:00) Building a network takes time. It's a long game. It's true what they say. Your network is your net worth and if tended to properly, your network can help you during your career transitions and in times of uncertainty.

(00:02:14) So if you're sitting there thinking, I really need to figure out how to network, these are the unwritten rules I'd share with you before I dive in. The biggest thing I will stress here is about how much of this is engineered to become reflexive in your mind. Networking doesn't have to be complex or time consuming, but it's about compounding habits that scale over time.

(00:02:35) First and foremost, get on LinkedIn. Make sure your profile is complete with a picture up-to-date, work history, the works. I know there's a lot of LinkedIn haters out there, but unless you're like Mark Zuckerberg or something, you really need to be on LinkedIn. It's where every recruiter, hiring manager and job seeker is, and it's the place where people can find you

(00:02:55) Don't worry. I'm not gonna tell you, you need to start posting regularly. I mean, if you do, that's gonna make your life probably a lot easier and your job search much easier. But in my view, not essential. Now, here are the built-in frameworks I do automatically to not only scale, but nurture my network.

(00:03:10) First, let's talk about building new connections. So many folks are missing such an easy and let me stress natural way to grow their network. That is to connect with anyone you meet. Okay? Maybe not everyone, like if you're single and you're dating around, I would not suggest this, but besides that, hear me out.

(00:03:26) There are new connections all around you. You're likely encountering new people somewhat regularly. Just make it a habit to build a connection, connect with everyone. A few examples, if you're working on a new project and meeting a new vendor after connect with everyone you met on the call. Why not? If you're customer facing or in sales, you could talk with someone on the phone or in person.

(00:03:47) Just send them a connection. If you meet someone at a social gathering, like a friend of a friend, and you have a nice interaction, it may sound weird, but why not connect with them even if they're not in the same industry or field? (00:04:00) People change careers, job cities all the time, and just because they're not directly in your domain doesn't mean they don't know someone who would really be beneficial to connect with down the line.

(00:04:11) In the same vein, did someone new join your company? Send 'em a quick line to welcome them to the company. Could be Slack or in person, and then just send over a connection request. It's a natural moment to build a connection, and especially with folks in a new job, a moment where most people feel a little vulnerable and are looking for acceptance, they'll likely remember it in a good way.

(00:04:31) Now on the topic of coworkers and this one, it drives me crazy. How many people neglect or fumble this. Another natural moment to connect or strengthen a relationship is when folks leave a company. If someone who you worked with or maybe didn't work with directly, but saw them do a lot of great work, this is a natural moment to connect or reconnect with them.

(00:04:52) Send a quick note. Hey, really enjoyed working with you. Hope our paths cross again in the future. Or, Hey, I know we didn't get to work together, but I was always (00:05:00) impressed with the work your team was shipping. That's a luck in your new role. Again, it's a natural moment that so many people just dropped the ball on and don't do.

(00:05:07) I look back at the times when I've left a company and there were a few people that to this day, I still remember what they said to me when I left. Like I used to work in marketing and a sales engineer said to me one time, we're really going to miss you around here. Really stood out to me to this day. I think incredibly highly of him for a number of reasons, but I felt so seen in that moment, and that's the feeling that sticks with someone.

(00:05:30) Also saying, I hope we get to work together in the future, is like planning a seat. And you know what typically happens when a new job at a company gets posted? If the hiring manager shares it with their direct team and asks if anyone has any referrals, and then they'll share it again at the all hands, and they'll ask everybody do they have any referrals.

(00:05:46) So maybe that sales engineer will be like, oh, Alicia might be a good fit for that, and reach out to me. I think a lot of people think they should just network with other people who are in the same department as them. Like I'm an engineer and I should just meet other engineers. (00:06:00) But the truth of the matter is when you're building a startup, the first place people look for referrals is their past company.

(00:06:06) It doesn't matter what department it is. The other team that I am in absolute disbelief about how many people fumble with is recruiters. The number of people who I've heard say, Ugh, a recruiter reached out to me. It's so annoying, or It's not a company I'm interested in, or The pay is too low and like, just don't respond.

(00:06:25) I hate to break it to you, in my opinion, recruiters are the best people to connect with. All they think about professionally is getting people jobs, and the thing about recruiters, hear me out, this is what most people don't think about. Sure the job they may send over to you today isn't one you're interested in or you're not looking for a new job at the moment.

(00:06:45) It really doesn't matter. The best thing you can do for your future self is to build a meaningful connection with a recruiter. Here's why. Recruiters, they're just like us. They change jobs, so maybe they're at a company you don't (00:07:00) care about today, but in three weeks or six months or four years, they get a new job at a super hot company and that you really wanna work for.

(00:07:08) If they've had a positive experience connecting with you, when you reach out to them again about that open role at the hot company, or maybe more likely they're trying to fill the pipe with candidates and they reach out to you, that's when the magic happens. You can make it to the short list of candidates.

(00:07:22) If there is one recruiter who sticks out in my mind when I share this advice, his name is Justin. Justin, if you're listening, hi. Hello. Hope you're well. Let's catch up. Soon. Years ago, Justin had helped place a bunch of my now former coworkers in jobs. I think one of them maybe mentioned him to me, or maybe he found me on LinkedIn.

(00:07:40) Either way, he reached out to me and I wasn't looking for a job, but I did engage with him. And now, years later, I get hit up by Justin for new roles whenever he's at a company that's looking for someone who matches my skillset. And you know what? I welcome his outreach. Okay. And listen up. This is the secret for building a great relationship with recruiters.

(00:07:57) First, I always respond to someone who reaches out to me about a job, even if it's a polite, no thank you. But the second thing I do is try to be helpful in a way that is not overly time consuming for me. If a recruiter reaches out and we haven't connected before, I try to always take the call, even if I'm in a good place.

(00:08:15)  In the current environment, you really never know what tomorrow will bring, especially when you work in tech. For obvious reasons, it's good to practice talking about yourself, especially when you're not in a situation where you feel pressure to get a new job. That moment where you're like. I gotta get outta here.

(00:08:29) You will feel much more confident if you have built the muscle of interviewing. I do wanna clarify something here because I think in order for this to be a positive experience for both parties, you need to be transparent. This is the line I use. Feel free to steal it from me. Whenever I get outreach from a recruiter, I say, Hey, thanks for reaching out.

(00:08:49)  I'm not actually looking for a new role, but I'm always open to connecting with new people. Maybe there's someone I know who might be a good fit if it's not the right thing for me. Boom, that's it. So now (00:09:00) you're going from a face in a crowd to someone who is signaling positive intent and being kind. Two things that can be hard to find in business and that will make you stand out.

(00:09:10) Alright, this is my last framework that transform my networking skills. I want you to build the habit of spending 10 minutes a day on LinkedIn. That's it. 10 minutes. Make it a recurring meeting on your calendar or part of your routine when you get your afternoon coffee or whatever your ritual is, whatever you do, don't get sucked into the vortex of clickbait or apparently pictures of people in the hospital has been a new trend, I guess.

(00:09:36)  But take 10 minutes every workday, thoughtfully engaging. So someone you're connected with got a new job like it, maybe add a congratulations comment. That's easy. Someone was just a part of a launch of some cool new feature at our company. Show up and support them. So in my view, the big unwritten rules folks don't talk about enough is that a big network of connections that is lukewarm is in (00:10:00) many ways more important than a few strong connections.

(00:10:03)  Find ways to show up in some shape or form to support the people in your network. It doesn't need to be a grand gesture or a lengthy thank you post when you leave a job, but the active showing up for others when they put themselves and their career in public is really important. Final thing. We're closing out today's episode with a quick segment.

(00:10:21) 

I'm calling the Survive and Thrive Toolkit. I'll highlight resources, products, ideas that I think will help you navigate life at a tech startup. So today, the tips I've shared with you are really just the tip of the iceberg in terms of getting into the motion of actively working on your network. If you wanna take it a step further, I've got a recommendation for you.

(00:10:40)  It's a book called How to Take the Work Out of Networking by Karen Wicker. So I came across this book when I was going through a career change and had signed up to take part in a program called Never Search Alone, which I would also recommend if you're currently in the midst of a job search, and especially if you feel behind in your networking in general.

(00:10:59) Never Search Alone is a really cool community that has a book you read and then you all meet in small groups and people help each other find their next job. I'll be sure to link to both the book and the careers group in the show notes for you guys. The thing I found that was so valuable with how to take the work out of networking is that it has actionable skills and advice you can use right away.

(00:11:19)  It's one of those great books that you don't need to read, cover to cover. You can pick it up and flip to a section that suits you at any moment. There's like a whole section dedicated to LinkedIn. If you wanna dig in more there. I recommended this read to a few folks early in their careers, but given how fast the world and technology are changing, I'd say it's definitely worth a read for those further down the line in their career.

(00:11:43) Thank you for listening to Non Founder Crew. If you want more insights, learnings, and stories from the trenches, sign up for my newsletter by going to www.nonfoundercrew.com.

And hey, listen. If you know a friend who could stand to hear this advice, send it to them. See you next time.