You’re looking for a new job. The first thing people tell you to do is “make a list” because you need to network, right? Wrong.
If this is the moment you’re starting to network, then you’re like the person who tries to buy insurance after the accident has already happened. You’re too late. Networking isn’t just for job seekers in crisis; it’s an essential career tool that needs constant attention—even when everything seems to be going well. In fact, that’s exactly when you should be focusing on it.
Yet, many professionals make the mistake of ignoring their network until they’re in a bind. They assume it’s something they’ll tend to only when they need it. By the time they send out a flurry of requests for introductions or advice, they’ve lost valuable time and, often, credibility. Let’s bust three of the most common misconceptions about networking that are holding your career back.
Misconception 1: Networking Is Only for Job Search
Most people view networking as something to turn to only when they’re in the middle of a job search. But this reactive approach can hurt you in the long run. Effective networking is proactive. The strongest professional networks are built when you don’t need immediate help, giving you the time and space to cultivate genuine, long-lasting relationships.
When you learn how to network while your career is stable, your conversations become more authentic. You’re not asking for a favor or trying to “sell” yourself, which can sometimes feel transactional. Instead, you’re learning from others, sharing ideas, and offering your own insights. This builds goodwill and ensures that when you do need help—whether it’s finding a new opportunity, navigating a layoff, or making a career pivot—your network is ready to support you.
Keith Ferrazzi highlights this concept in Never Eat Alone, where he emphasizes that successful networking is built on offering value first. In a recent LinkedIn post Ferrazzi explained that networking for a specific purpose, such as finding a job, feels cold and impersonal. He contrasted this with true connecting, which he defines as sharing your knowledge and resources, time and energy, friends and associates, as well as empathy and compassion. In this approach, networking is not about a transaction—it’s about building meaningful relationships.
But that’s not the only reason you need a network. Before it helps you find a new job, it helps you succeed in the one you have. Which brings us to the second misconception:
Misconception 2: Your Immediate Work Circle Is Enough
It’s easy to assume that the people you interact with daily—your colleagues, clients, or business partners—form a strong enough network. While your “operational network” is crucial for getting the job done, it doesn’t expose you to new ideas, opportunities, or industry shifts that a broader, more strategic network can offer.
Herminia Ibarra, in her article “How Leaders Create and Use Networks” published in Harvard Business Review, emphasizes the distinction between operational and strategic networks. Operational networks help you accomplish day-to-day tasks, but it’s your strategic network—the connections you make across different roles, industries, and regions—that introduces new opportunities and provides a broader perspective. Ibarra stresses the importance of networking outside of our usual circle as a critical step in career reinvention.
If you’re only talking to the same people you rely on to get through your day-to-day work, you’re limiting your perspective and, with it, your potential. To thrive, you need to broaden your circle to include people who can challenge your thinking, offer new insights, and open doors to opportunities you may not even know exist. A strategic network connects you with individuals from different industries, roles, and locations, offering fresh perspectives and helping you stay ahead of trends. These diverse contacts are far more likely to support your career growth and innovation.
By now you’re probably thinking: who has the time to meet new people outside of our day-to-day when we’re actually working and not looking for a job? Which leads us to misconception number three:
Misconception 3: Networking Has to Be Formal
Many people believe networking requires formal events, carefully planned meetings, or a certain level of calculated strategy. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Some of the best connections are made through informal conversations—whether at a casual lunch, during shared industry events, or even over online interactions that start with mutual interests. In fact, networking works best when it’s organic and based on genuine curiosity. These informal, authentic connections are far more likely to develop into lasting professional relationships than something that feels forced.
For some people, meeting and talking to new people is as simple as breathing. For others, it’s inconceivable. If you’re one of those who prefers the computer screen to a conversation with a stranger at a conference, the key is to ensure you have paths to organically meet your strategic network. In practice, this means building opportunities into your calendar.
I once met a young professional who told me about his “Tuesday lunch” practice. Instead of having lunch with his team, as he usually did, he made it a point to have lunch with someone different each Tuesday—whether it was someone from another department, someone he hadn’t seen in a while, or someone working on something he wanted to learn more about. This habit helped him build a broad and diverse network.
Other ways to ensure you interact with people outside your everyday work circle include joining a nonprofit or industry organization or reaching out to people you follow online and engaging in actual conversations with them. My personal favorite is dedicating two meetings a week to people without a specific agenda. This practice has built my strategic network to the point where it brings me knowledge, ideas, and contacts I would never have gained through formal, transactional networking.
The Bottom Line: Networking Is a Long-Term Investment
Networking isn’t a one-time effort, nor is it a quick fix when you’re looking for a job. It’s an ongoing investment in your career, one that pays off long before the time comes to seek new opportunities, navigate industry changes, or pursue new ventures. Your network will open you up to new knowledge and ideas, bring you information you didn’t know you needed, and help you act on insights you wouldn’t have had otherwise.
When the time comes for a job search, your network will already know you. You will have built the relationships that will work for you, connecting you to new people and opportunities. The most successful professionals don’t wait until they need help—they’re already connected to people who are willing to offer it.
If you’re not actively building and nurturing your network right now, you’re missing a critical part of career management. Start today, and your future self will thank you.
