Networking Pro-Tip: Stop Waiting for an Invitation
Take control and design networking opportunities that fit your goals - instead of waiting for someone else to create them for you.
Problem: You're hoping someone else will create the perfect networking opportunity for you. Sorry to be a Debbie Downer, but the truth is — no one’s going to drop that opportunity into your lap.
And that’s actually a good thing. Because it means you stay in control of your networking future.
Solution: Take ownership. Create opportunities that align with your goals, time, and energy — just like the women featured in Build Your Dream Network did:
📌 Three ways to shift from passive to powerful:
Leverage your strengths within your current network. Devon Brooks did this over four years at Futurpreneur Canada (a national non-profit organization providing young people across Canada with the support they need to get started on their entrepreneurial aspirations), volunteering in ways that showcased her tactical leadership skills, while connecting with critical decision-makers.
Lead with your commitment to learn. Janet Hanson was the first woman to be promoted to sales management of Goldman Sachs. She got there by not waiting to be invited — she earned her place by vocalizing her interest to learn more about the business, then routinely showing up to training sessions and learning the business.
Elevate overlooked opportunities. As a new hire in an office filled with talented individuals, Varelie Croes realized she quickly needed to raise her visibility. She did so by strategically spotting overlooked tasks (such as organizing events and writing speeches). Varelie then approached these tasks in a way to elevate her visibility (hint: these “tasks” were actually opportunities to connect directly with leadership across the entire firm).
Your Networking Move This Week:
Stop waiting to be invited. Create one opportunity this week — volunteer for a project, organize a training or group mentoring session, or reach out to someone whose work you admire.
📖 BYDN References: p. 102–106 (Devon), p. 67 (Janet), p. 81 (Varelie)
Need more?
💡 Discover how to leverage relationships to power your next move — and why being a likeable badass rooted in your worth makes all the difference, by taking a listen to this episode of Build the Damn Thing podcast.
💡 Download Chapter 2 of my next book (if you haven't already done so) - as my guess is, by completing the exercises contained in that chapter, you'll unlock a few opportunities you weren't aware you had.