Informational Interviews: How to Ask for One and What to Ask
How to ask for an informational interview, with 3 request templates, 10 questions grouped by purpose, and how to run 20-30 minutes and follow up.
Networking & Personal Branding
Building relationships and a professional reputation, online and off.
Introductions, informational interviews, and cold outreach
How to Write an Elevator Pitch About Yourself (With Examples)
How to write an elevator pitch in 5 steps, with 4 example pitches, and why recruiters in a 2015 study rated a pitch higher heard than read.
Is LinkedIn Premium Worth It? A Neutral Look at the Paid Features
Is LinkedIn Premium worth it? Four paid plans compared with the free account, using LinkedIn's own pages, with a verdict for 4 kinds of user.
Networking basics
Dunbar's Number: How Many Relationships Can You Really Maintain?
Dunbar's number says we keep up about 150 relationships. A 2021 reanalysis says the data can't fix any number. What it means for your network.
How to Build a Professional Network From Scratch
How to build a professional network from scratch in 6 steps, with example messages, and why more people say yes to small asks than you expect.
What Is Networking? A Practical Definition for People Who Dislike the Word
What is networking? A research-based definition, its 3 main forms, what studies link it to, and ways to do it that do not feel fake.
Why Networking Works: Granovetter's Weak Ties Explained
In Granovetter's job study, over 4 in 5 who found work via a contact saw that person only occasionally or rarely. Why weak ties work and when strong ties win.
Employee advocacy and employer brand
Employee Value Proposition: How to Define What You Offer Candidates
An employee value proposition is the deal a job offers. Define yours in 6 steps, starting from what keeps your staff, then test every line.
Follow-up and keeping relationships alive
How to Reconnect With Someone You Haven't Spoken to in Years
How to reconnect with someone in 5 steps: why your message is likely more welcome than you expect, what to write first and how to turn one reply into a tie.
Mentors and sponsors
How to Find a Mentor: A Step-by-Step Guide
How to find a mentor in 5 steps: know what you need, look where you already work, let it grow, use programs well and build several advisers.