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10 Tips to Expand Your Professional Network for Cleared Job Search Success

Our top 10 essential tips to help you expand your professional network and advance your cleared career.

Never underestimate the power of who you know. Most job seekers land new roles by tapping into network connections with peers, mentors, and recruiters themselves. Your professional relationships can provide valuable insights, access to hidden job opportunities, and references and referrals that can fast-track your cleared job search. A well-maintained network is invaluable, so consider these tips to nurture and leverage it effectively:

1. Networking is a Two-Way Street

Networking isn’t just about what you can gain—it’s about offering value in return. Don’t be that person who only reaches out when they need a favor. Instead, focus on strengthening your relationships by offering assistance where possible. Can you connect someone to a recruiter or share a relevant job posting? Support goes both ways, and building reciprocal relationships makes your network stronger. Always respond to calls or emails from your network, and be ready and willing to lend a hand when needed.

2. Identify Key Contacts

Start by developing a comprehensive list of individuals you’d like to connect with and get to know better. Consider people you’ve worked with in the past or present, including colleagues, military connections, managers, clients, and vendors. As you build your network, be sure to include individuals at organizations that interest you, especially recruiters. If you’ve interacted with any recruiters before, consider reaching out to reconnect. They change jobs too and may have moved to another employer in the cleared community that aligns with your interests.

3. Define Your Networking Goals

Before reaching out to a recruiter or networking contact, take the time to define your goals. Consider what you hope to gain from that person, whether it’s insights about a company, guidance on the hiring process, or a referral. Remember, you can’t just ask for a job. Be specific about your needs to make it easier for them to help you. When people understand your objectives, they can provide more targeted assistance.

4. Start Making Connections

While it’s essential to meet new people, don’t dismiss those already in your circle. When reconnecting, reach out via email or phone to clearly communicate your current job search status and specify the roles, companies, and locations you’re targeting. You can also ask your existing connections for introductions to recruiters and other contacts who can broaden your network.

Make use of industry events, Cleared Job Fairs, educational activities, social media, and volunteer opportunities to expand your network. Collect business cards so you can connect on social media or send a short, personalized email message to build on your initial introductions. Networking is all about building relationships and sustaining them—and it’s especially valuable to stay on a recruiter’s radar.

5. Leverage Social Media for Networking

If you choose to use social media, it can greatly enrich your networking options. Online platforms allow you to connect with and maintain relationships with a large network efficiently. Join groups related to your field, seek out networking events and webinars hosted by target employers, and utilize secondary connections on platforms like LinkedIn to expand your network. When reaching out to new contacts, clearly articulate your reasons for wanting to connect, whether it’s to discuss shared interests, seek advice, or so on. And don’t overlook the power of social media for following up with individuals you’ve already met. A connection request and a brief message can help keep the momentum going so that your in-person networking efforts don’t fall flat.

6. Personalize Your Outreach

Send personalized messages when sending an email or connection request. It takes more time but remember, you’re after quality of connections, not quantity. Maybe you met someone briefly or haven’t seen them in ages and they won’t remember you right away. Or if they don’t know you at all, what’s the reason you’d like to connect? Share your intentions for a meaningful connection rather than sending requests on a whim without purpose. And when messaging recruiters, it’s especially important to convey what role you’re interested in whenever applicable.

7. Consider Informational Interviews

On your quest to gather information and support your cleared career, consider asking individuals for 15-20 minutes of their time for an informational interview. These conversations are valuable not just for gathering information, but for building relationships with the interviewee. Recruiters, in particular, can offer insights into industry trends and hiring expectations. Prepare thoughtful questions, and always come ready with your elevator pitch.

8. Keep Your Network in The Loop

If you’ve reached out to someone about your job search or asked for any kind of help, follow up to share the outcome. If they referred you to someone, let them know how the conversation went and say thanks again. If you secure a position, update your contacts. This strengthens relationships and keeps the door open for future networking. Plus, staying in touch demonstrates that you value the connection beyond your immediate needs.

9. Be Ready to Network on Short Notice

Networking can happen at any moment—at conferences, meetups, or even chance encounters. You never know who could be a valuable asset to your career. So always have a business card and a polished elevator pitch ready. This is especially critical when interacting with recruiters at events or career fairs. Clearly articulate your job search focus so that recruiters can quickly understand your goals and peers can identify how they might assist you.

10. Keep Networking Even When You Don’t Need a Job

Networking is an ongoing process. Maintain your relationships with recruiters and industry contacts even when you’re not actively looking for a job. Staying in touch keeps you in the loop for future opportunities and positions you as a proactive professional. No matter what stage of your career you’re in, making new connections is always vital. It’s best practice to always build and expand your professional network before you need it.

5 Ways to Entice Someone to Respond

To increase your response rates when reaching out to new contacts, follow these tips:

1. Lead with value. Start with a compliment or thank them about something relevant. You need to do some homework and know your subject to be able to target your message in this way. Maybe you appreciate something they’re doing in the industry – make it specific.

2. Keep it concise. Aim for brevity while still sharing relevant information. Long-winded messages can deter responses. If they need more context, you can include a link to read more about it, like on your LinkedIn profile.

3. Clarify your request. Be upfront about what you’re hoping to achieve from the conversation. Clearly articulate your request so they don’t have to guess your intentions, and be mindful of their time by focusing on what matters most.

4. Establish credibility. The more credible you are the more likely you will get a response. Who are you, and why are you popping up in their inbox? Do you know someone in common?

5. End with a question. Close your message with a specific question or call to action that encourages a response. This approach prompts them to engage and makes it easier for them to reply.