The Uncomfortable Truth About Your Career
Let me be direct: your resume doesn’t matter. Your skills don’t matter. Your portfolio, your certifications, your years of experience – they might not matter either. Here’s what does: who you know, and whether they think of you when an opportunity shows up.
The data backs this up. 85% of jobs are filled through networking. Not job boards. Not LinkedIn job postings. Networking. Real, actual human connections. Yet despite knowing this, most people treat networking like homework – something to do when they feel obligated, something that makes them uncomfortable.
Even worse? 79% of professionals agree that networking is essential for career growth. But only 48% actually maintain their networks regularly. And 38% say it’s just too hard – too time-consuming, too awkward, too much. What they’re really saying is: “I’m not prioritizing the one thing that matters most for my career.”
“Business executives would lose 28% of their business if they stopped networking.” – LinkedIn Career Study
Think about that. A quarter of your potential opportunities disappear the moment you stop showing up for people. That’s not motivation – that’s just math.
Authentic Networking Is The Opposite Of Contact Collecting
Here’s the mindset shift you need: networking isn’t about collecting business cards or LinkedIn connections. That’s surface-level and it doesn’t work. Real networking is about building actual relationships based on genuine interest – not what someone can do for you, but who they are as a person.
There’s a fundamental difference between transactional networking (hey, I need something from you) and trust-based relationships (I actually care about your success). And here’s the thing – people can feel the difference immediately.
So what does this look like in practice? Three concrete strategies:
1. Ask Questions. Shut Up. Actually Listen.
Instead of launching into your entire bio, ask open-ended questions. “What project are you excited about right now?” beats “What do you do?” by a mile. Then listen – actually listen – without planning what you’ll say next. People feel heard when you’re genuinely interested. It’s rarer than you think.
2. Follow-Up Isn’t Transactional – It’s Structural
This is where most people fail. 49% of professionals cite time as the reason they lose touch with their network. But here’s what separates top performers: they have a system. A 2024 study found that companies with structured networking approaches achieved 38% better results than those using ad-hoc methods. That’s not talent – that’s strategy.
What does this mean? Write things down. Note that Sarah got promoted. Mark that Thomas is launching his startup. Then schedule follow-ups. Not “I’ll reach out sometime,” but “I’m messaging Sarah on the 15th of every month.” That’s professional maturity.
3. Use Tools Because Your Brain Isn’t Made for This
Here’s something most people don’t realize: businesses have been using CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems for decades because they know the human brain can’t track hundreds of relationships without help. Salesforce is a multi-billion-dollar industry because companies understand this fundamental truth: relationships without structure collapse.
Yet most people try to keep their entire network in their head. And it shows. In 2024, 44% of business owners use CRM systems to manage contacts. Only 31% rely on email or their phone. The difference? Top performers never miss a birthday, never forget a job change, never miss a moment to show up for someone.
That’s where tools like HighFive come in. It’s not about being robotic – it’s about being intentional. When you track important milestones and get reminders, you can actually show up for people consistently. You’re not fighting your memory. You’re augmenting it.
The Science Of Follow-Up: How Often Is Too Often?
There’s a sweet spot. Too frequent feels pushy. Too infrequent feels like neglect. Most people land somewhere in the middle, acting randomly instead of strategically.
Habit formation research shows that consistent behavior becomes automatic after about 66 days. Translation: if you reach out to someone every two weeks, after 4-5 months it stops feeling like work. It becomes routine. But you have to actually do it for 4-5 months first.
That’s why structure matters. Structure is what gets you through those first months until it becomes automatic.
Sources:
- LinkedIn – Networking Statistics 2024-2025
- The Impact of Networking on Career Growth, Harvard Economics
- Networking Statistics 2025 – Global Study Data
- Strategic Networking Performance Study, 2024
- HighFive – Smart Reminders for Important Milestones