Perennials

How NOT to start from scratch as you grow your network

Author

Sara Kobilka
December 05, 2024

Planting seeds/seedlings—in the form of new connections—is a great way to grow your network (which I discussed in Part 1 of Gardening as a Metaphor for Growing your Network). But you’ve already got another source of plants for your “network garden”, the perennials you planted years ago. Here’s how to take advantage of them.

- Sara Kobilka, Renaissance Woman

I have always looked forward to spring when I’ve lived in northern states (my perceptions of the seasons were significantly different when I lived in the Tucson desert). The temperature warms and I’m able to comfortably get outside more often. I revel in the feeling of sun-warmed soil on my bare feet as I begin preparing my garden for the summer’s bounty.

But my favorite early spring sight is a house down the street and around the corner. Over many years, nearly half of this yard was carefully embedded with perennial bulbs that, without any work on the part of the elderly gentleman who lives there, blossom as soon as temperatures climb. He has told me these plants were the passion of his beloved deceased wife. Their return each year gives him hope and provides an annual feast for the eyes of anyone who passes by.

A sloped front yard filled with numerous spring flowers, scraggly grass, a small tree not yet in bloom, a blossoming shrub and a few large rocks next to a driveway and aging sidewalk.

Each spring this yard gives me the hope I needed to make it through a late season snowfall.

You have perennials in your garden network as well. These are people you have known who can provide a testament to your work. Some may be former colleagues or supervisors, but there are others with whom you served on committees, volunteered, took classes, or engaged in other ways.

If you let folks know that you’re searching for work, these perennials may spontaneously bloom, but that does require getting the word out that you are looking.

Not everyone is ready for that information to be out. However, you can still set yourself to reap the benefits later if you plant bulbs now. You may be in the autumn of a particular position, with leaves falling off the trees and temperatures beginning to drop, but you’re not ready to simply jump ship. Bulbs planted in the fall can emerge in the spring when the conditions are right for growth. And, scientific fact, most bulbs produce perennial flowers!

Seasons are Changing

So, how do you send the signal to your perennials that you’re ready for them to move out of their dormant state and start blossoming again?

You gotta warm things up. Here’s how:

  1. Make a list of past connections who could speak positively about you as a worker OR who might know about job opportunities that would be a good fit for you. Don’t limit yourself at this point. Put this list into a spreadsheet or in a notebook.

  2. See if you’re currently connected on social media with those folks. Think about whether there are any events (in-person or virtual) you could attend that they might also be at.

  3. Pick 5 different people each week to engage with in some way. This can mean sending a connection request on LinkedIn* or a direct message if you’re already connected. For some, a quick email could be better. For others, it’s simply talking to them in person.

  4. Whatever method you choose, keep it short and simple. Say that you were thinking of them (give a specific example of something you enjoyed doing with them in the past) and wanted to check to see how they’re doing. Let them know that you’re exploring new opportunities and if they see anything that might be a good fit for you, you’d love to hear about it.

  5. Create columns in your spreadsheet for keeping track of when you reached out and how.

  6. Update the spreadsheet as you interact with them to ensure you don’t forget to follow up. It’s OK to send a second message a week after the first just to make sure you don’t get lost in someone’s inbox.

* On LinkedIn, you have 5 free connection requests each month where you can add a note. Save those for people who are less likely to remember who you are.

These perennials are ready to jump into action to support you, often in unexpected ways, but you need to send the signal that the season is changing so that they can be activated. Let the world surprise you with how much people want to help others.

It my next newsletter, I’ll have the final part of my Gardening as Metaphor series, Watering and Providing Nutrients to Maximize Growth.

If you’re looking for more ways to take advantage of LinkedIn in your job search efforts, be sure to sign up for my workshop, Using LinkedIn to be a Powerhouse Networker. We’ll be kicking the year off right January 7, 2025 at 11am ET so join live to get your questions answered. The recording will be available after the session as well.

I’ll also be hosting another LinkedIn Sprint for Job Seekers in mid-January. Workshop participants will be able to join for FREE so take advantage of that offer now.

Hi! I’m Sara Kobilka, owner of Renaissance Woman Consulting.

I am a Renaissance Woman (what’s THAT? Good question! Here’s my answer). My wide-ranging background includes time as a TV meteorologist/reporter, non-profit leader, higher education program coordinator, curriculum designer, and now, business owner. During each leg of this journey, I gained new skills that I was able take with me in my next step. Now, I work remotely with clients to help them confidently tell their story and navigate the transition to the next leg of their career journey.

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