The reason you’re not getting interviews or landing freelance gigs?
Nobody gets hired via cold pitches or applications alone.
By taking a different approach you can stop being ghosted…
And start landing more work.
Here’s how to network in 6 easy steps:
1. Set a Goal
What companies do you really want to work for?
Are you open to relocation?
Do you need 100% remote work?
The more clear you are on your ideal outcome the easier it will be to:
- Put together an action plan to get there
- Start going after accomplishing it
2. Start Connecting
Find the company on Linkedin.
Hit that “connect” button on individuals surrounding your dream companies & roles.
Having that 1st level connection is key…
Otherwise the rest of these steps will fall flat on their face.
3. Humanize Yourself
Once someone accepts your connection request send them:
“Hey XXX, just wanted to reach out and say how much I enjoyed *mention relevant project here*”
Short & sweet.
Don’t oversell yourself at the risk of being labeled spam.
4. Add Value
Start posting more about your work & thinking.
Comment on posts from people you enjoy.
Begin building your network by creating trust and real relationships.
The goal here is to add more value than you’re extracting by means of your direct messages.
(hint — treat it just like you would use IG with friends and family…only limit the cursing)
5. Trust the Network
Set aside time every day to browse your feed.
You’ll start seeing jobs pop up before apps even go online.
Allowing you to apply before 90% of others even see it.
The best part? You’ll have a direct line in with your 1st level connections you made in step number two above.
6. Analyze
Certain messages not working?
Tweak them.
Specific posts doing better?
Create more content around those topics.
Pay attention to what is & isn’t working so you can make small changes.
Over time they’ll add up to break throughs in landing career changing jobs…all while building a robust network along the way.
How this is relevant for a:
Freelancer — Allows you to showcase your thinking to potential prospects and limits the amount of cold selling you have to do.
Full-timer — Gives you the inside deets as to what companies might suck to work for and where you might want to shift focus.
Dabbler — Exposes you to the thinking and processes that other high-performers use in the field you might want to get into.
Networking doesn’t have to be as difficult and time consuming as it may seem. And by shifting even a tiny amount of focus from other social platforms to a place like Linkedin can have huge benefits in the longevity of your career. Get out there and find the others.
