Networking isn’t just about collecting business cards or attending events with hopeful intentions…

It’s about power.

For recent graduates, the key to unlocking hidden job markets and advancing beyond the masses lies in networking, period.

But let’s be clear: networking is a game, and it’s not always the fair kind. Understanding this can set you apart from those who are still trying to navigate the system blindly.

Networking: A Path to the Hidden Job Market

Networking is often presented as a way to “get your foot in the door,” but the reality is rather different.

Remember: No one is going to risk their business or their own promotion to give a newbie an opportunity just because they know you. They may play nice to your face, but when you actually ask for a referral or introduction, chances are, they will simply disappear. Or perhaps ask you to send your resume to HR – the gatekeepers you were trying to circumvent in the first place!

So… No. Networking isn’t about getting your foot in the door.

Networking, instead, is about opening up access to opportunities you would never have discovered otherwise – what’s often called the hidden job market.

Many job openings are never posted publicly; they exist in conversations between insiders. This is where networking becomes powerful. It’s a path to those opportunities that bypass traditional hiring processes.

As a graduate, your goal is to position yourself close enough to these circles of influence that you can catch wind of opportunities before they go public.

Networking: Playing the Corporate Power Game

To be blunt, when you boil it down, networking is playing the game – but it’s just one aspect of power in the corporate world.

For instance, nepotism and favoritism are real forms of entrenched power that control much of what happens in the professional world. Here, networking levels the playing field if you’re not already connected by blood or privilege.

Think of it like this: your network is about gaining access to information, social circles, and resources that are otherwise off-limits.

And that can happen in a multitude of contexts…

For example, if you’re socially savvy enough to take investors out for a night on the town, or if you can connect a customer to an opportunity they couldn’t find on their own, you’ve already elevated your value.

Networking, in this sense, isn’t about LinkedIn requests or coffee chats – it’s about aligning yourself with power and influence in the most strategic way possible.

The Fallacy of Online Networking

Here’s where most people go wrong: they assume that online networking is real networking.

In truth, real networking happens face to face. You don’t build meaningful, career-shifting connections online; LinkedIn and similar platforms can serve as social proof to validate the relationships and popularity you’ve already built in real life. But they aren’t necessarily effective in building those relationships in the first place.

When someone looks at your LinkedIn, they’re checking to see if others vouch for your credibility, but they aren’t going to suddenly become a professional friend just because you messaged them online.

That said, online branding can still play a role. You can leverage platforms like LinkedIn to amplify your personal brand, but don’t confuse this with networking. Real networking happens in person, where people bond and break bread, where people have a few too many drinks, where people feel like sharing insights that might get them canceled…

Real networking happens in person where persons to person things…

Spicy, career-shifting information is only traded in the real world, not on social platforms.

The Myth of Networking

Now, it’s also worth revealing that: networking is a BS term.

It’s a relatively modern concept that became popular around the 1970s and 1980s when the baby boomer generation flooded the workforce. The term was essentially an attempt to emulate gregarious behavior on purpose, with the goal of gaining business advantages through human connections (Inc.).

What we call networking is nothing more than salesmanship disguised for non-salespeople. This is why, in reality, there is no “good” or “bad” networking. It’s about creating connections, full stop.

Whether you’re a club promoter handing out free tickets at a party or a realtor making cold calls, it’s all part of the same game – connecting with new people.

In this context, networking is the seed-planting phase of a relationship; not the harvest. And like planting seeds, the payoff comes not from the act itself but from the cultivation of those connections over time.

Now that you know the basics, here’s how you do “networking”:

You meet new people!

Meet the Job Givers

Of course, your goal isn’t just to meet people who are on your level. You need to meet people outside your social circle – especially those who can directly connect you with job opportunities, sometimes right now, but usually down the line.

These are the people who are actually in a position to offer you a job or point you toward those who can. Volunteering, contributing to open-source projects, or even engaging in professional activism can be ways to get noticed by people with hiring power.

How you do it is less important. The fact that you do it is what counts. Here are 11 basic ways you could meet people and call it networking:

  • Join Industry-Specific Professional Associations: Many industries have their own professional groups that host events, webinars, and mixers.
  • Attend Conferences and Seminars: These events provide a natural way to introduce yourself, learn the latest trends, and connect with people who can open doors.
  • Cold Email or Message Key People: Reference a project of theirs or a mutual interest, and suggest a brief conversation. Done right, this can lead to a valuable connection.
  • Volunteer for High-Visibility Projects: Volunteering for projects where decision-makers are involved can help you get noticed.
  • Participate in Alumni Networks: Alumni are often willing to help recent graduates, and many are in hiring positions themselves. Attend alumni events.
  • Leverage Shared Connections for Introductions: Ask someone in your existing network to introduce you to a decision-maker they know. People are more likely to engage if they’re introduced by someone they trust.
  • Attend Courses or Workshops: Enrolling in high-level workshops or education programs often puts you in direct contact with professionals who are already in leadership roles. It’s an investment in both your education and your network.
  • Join a Mastermind Group: Join one where you can exchange ideas, discuss business strategies, and build relationships with decision-makers. (Pro tip: Free mastermind groups are not recommended, there is no free lunch; if something is free, you are the product.)
  • Reach Out for Informational Interviews: Request informational interviews from executives or hiring managers at companies you’re interested in. It’s a non-threatening way to learn about their business while subtly positioning yourself for future opportunities.
  • Frequent High-End Industry Venues: Identify the bars, restaurants, or coffee shops where industry executives and professionals hang out. Becoming a regular can lead to organic conversations and networking with high-profile individuals.
  • Take on Contract Work or Freelance Gigs: Many professionals underestimate contract work as a networking opportunity. Short-term gigs get you inside companies and in direct contact with decision-makers.

Short-Term Gains vs. Long-Term Reputation

Early-career professionals often fall into the trap of thinking that networking is all about being cutthroat – grabbing every opportunity and climbing the ladder as quickly as possible.

This approach might land you a few wins, like a middle-management job, but it won’t get you to executive positions.

The real power lies in balancing aggressive, short-term tactics with strategic, long-term relationship building. Here’s how you can do both:

Cutthroat, Short-Term Networking Tactics

These are aggressive techniques that can yield fast results but often come at the cost of reputation and long-term growth. Use them when needed, but understand their limitations.

  1. Crash High-Profile Events Without Invitations: If you don’t have an invite to an industry event, find a way in. Act like you belong and engage with the right people, even if you’re gatecrashing.
  2. Leverage Power Through Proximity: Get physically close to key decision-makers at meetings, conferences, or events. Proximity implies importance. People will assume you have access to those in power.
  3. Offer ‘Strategic Flattery’: Compliment the right people, but make it count. And if you think flattery does not work; spend ten minutes watching presidential politics… It works. Flatter in a way that feels genuine but targets the ego of those who can directly influence your career. Get them to like you without overdoing it.
  4. Underplay Your Competitors: When networking, discredit others who may be competing for you for the same opportunities. Use backhanded compliments or call attention to their weaknesses – without looking like you’re attacking them.
  5. Ask for Favors Before Giving Any: Don’t wait for reciprocity. If someone can help you now, ask for the favor upfront. This often works with people who want to feel important or believe they’re in a position to help. Follow up later with a token of gratitude.

Long-Term Networking Techniques

The following are less aggressive but essential for creating sustainable, lasting influence. They’ll help you build a reputation that pays off in the long run.

  1. Invest in The Success of Others: Help others achieve their goals without expecting immediate payback. By assisting someone today, you create a bond that could become valuable years down the line. People remember who helped them when they were down.
  2. Rekindle Dormant Connections: Reach out to people you haven’t spoken to in years. Research shows that these dormant ties are often more valuable than new ones. When you reconnect, you gain access to new opportunities and fresh networks (ResearchGate).
  3. Be a Connector: Introduce people to each other. Even if you don’t gain from it immediately. Becoming the go-to person for introductions gives you power and influence over time.

The Biggest Mistake: Not Networking

For an early career professional, your networking activities are inevitably going to focus around “developing the social skills that can help you schmooze without being cringe.”

In other words, early on, your networking is going to suck. You’ll make mistakes. You’ll get rejected. You won’t get taken seriously. And you’ll feel bad.

That’s par for the course. We’ve all gone through it…

Regardless of the level of suck… You’ve got to do it, in order to learn how to do it effectively.

The single biggest mistake recent graduates make is: they don’t network at all. They just brute force their way into a job by sending 7000 applications to every open position, and grabbing whatever job they can get. Then, they let the interest of the corporate world dictate their trajectory – switching jobs only when absolutely necessary, and only “networking” by having a few new conversations at company Christmas parties…

That’s the wrong way to build a career, much of which is built on human connections.

The earlier you realize that networking isn’t optional, the better you’ll do. It’s a critical part of career growth. Whether you attend conferences, volunteer, or just socialize with people in your field; the only wrong move is not taking action.

You need to sow the seeds today so you can reap the rewards tomorrow.

Go meet people!