10,000 LinkedIn Connections and Nobody to Call
You have thousands of LinkedIn connections. You've worked in HR for twenty or more years. You've recruited hundreds of people. You've sat on executive committees. You've worked with CEOs, CFOs, investors, consultants and board members.
So when you suddenly find yourself unemployed, you should have an enormous network to call upon. Shouldn't you?
But here's the uncomfortable question: How many of those thousands of people would actually take your call?
And how many would know what you are particularly good at, what you want to do next, and what kind of organization would benefit from hiring you?
There is a big difference between having a network and having relationships.
LinkedIn isn't your network
LinkedIn has made it incredibly easy to accumulate connections. You meet someone at a conference. You connect. Someone sends you connection request. You accept. You recruit someone. You connect. Someone comments on your post. You connect. Over the years you’ve accumulated thousands of connections.
But if you haven't spoken to most of those people since the day you connected, are they really part of your professional network?
Perhaps technically.
But probably not in any meaningful sense because a genuine professional relationship requires more than a digital connection. It requires some combination of shared experience, trust, familiarity, reciprocity and time.
The test is simple
Imagine you lost your job tomorrow. Who could you call and say: “I'm starting to think about my next move. I'd really value your perspective. Would you be comfortable introducing me to a couple of people you think I should speak to?”
Not: “Can you get me a job?” Because that is an entirely different conversation.
Who would respond positively? Who would understand your capabilities? Who would know which organizations might suit you? Who would recommend you without needing to look at your CV first? Those are the people in your authentic network.
The number might surprise you. It might be 20. It might be 50. It might even be five. But five meaningful relationships can be worth considerably more than 10,000 passive connections.
The mistake people make when they become unemployed
One of the first things many senior professionals do after losing their job is start networking.
They contact people they haven't spoken to for years. They send messages saying: “Hope you're well. I'm currently exploring new opportunities and would love to reconnect.”
There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, reconnecting can be valuable. But if the first meaningful interaction you've had with someone in eight years is asking them to help with your job search, the relationship is inevitably going to feel transactional.
This is particularly noticeable at senior level. People know when they're being contacted because you genuinely want to reconnect and when they're being contacted because you need something.
Networking should be reciprocal
The best professional relationships work both ways. You help someone. They help you. You make an introduction. They share some market intelligence. You recommend someone. They think of you for a work opportunity. You have a conversation when neither of you needs anything. This last point is important.
Relationships are strongest when there is no immediate transaction.
As HR professionals, we understand this principle when we're advising organizations about employee engagement, leadership or stakeholder management. It should apply to our own careers and networks too.
Don't make your network entirely HR
Another mistake senior HR professionals make is building a network almost exclusively within HR.
Of course, HR colleagues are important. But if you aspire to be a CHRO or already operate at that level, your professional network should extend well beyond HR.
Think about:
CEOs
CFOs
COOs
board members
private equity professionals
investors
former CEOs
management consultants
executive coaches
lawyers
technology leaders
communications executives
former clients
former suppliers
senior executives you have recruited
These people may understand your value in ways that HR colleagues don't. A CEO might describe you as the HR leader who helped them transform an organization that tangibly boosted market share and profits. A CFO might remember that you successfully managed a difficult restructuring whilst minimizing productivity interruptions and union risk. A board member might know that you're particularly strong in succession planning and acquisition due diligence.
Those descriptions are often much more powerful than “experienced HR executive.”
Your reputation travels further than your CV
At senior level, your reputation matters.
People talk. They remember leaders they enjoyed working with. They remember people who handled difficult situations well. They remember people who were commercially minded, honest, pragmatic and courageous. They also remember people who weren't.
This is one reason professional relationships matter so much.
Your CV tells people what you've done. Your network tells people what it was like to work with you. And when a senior appointment is being discussed, that distinction can matter enormously.
So what should you do?
Don't try to build 10,000 more connections. Instead, identify perhaps 25–50 people who genuinely matter to your career.
Ask yourself: Who knows me well? Who understands what I do? Who would recommend me? Who would challenge me? Who would introduce me to someone useful?
Then invest in those relationships. Call them. Have coffee. Ask how they're doing. Share something useful. Make an introduction. Offer your perspective. Stay interested in their careers too.
And don't wait until you're unemployed. Because the best time to build a network is when you don't need one.
One final thought
If you have 10,000 LinkedIn connections but nobody you feel comfortable calling when you lose your job, you don't necessarily have a networking problem. You have a relationship problem.
And that is fixable. You don't need more connections. You need more people who know you well enough to say: “I know exactly the kind of organization that should be talking to you.”
That is a network worth having.
About the Author
Ian Mael is valued across his HR network for his diligent communications and authentic partnerships. As the leader for interim HR executive hires at Carter Morris, he brings over 15 years of recruitment experience for multi sector hires within demanding deadlines for the full range of specialist roles within the HR profession.