The Power of Networking in Career Advancement

I used to believe that hard work alone would take me where I wanted to go.

Early in my career, I kept my head down, met deadlines, and let my resume do the talking. I rarely attended company events, almost never engaged on LinkedIn, and the thought of “networking” made me cringe. It felt fake, like pretending to care about people just to get ahead.

But life, as it often does, taught me a lesson I didn’t know I needed—through a moment so small, I almost missed it.

The Stagnant Middle

In 2019, I was three years into my job as a data analyst at a mid-sized marketing firm. The work was fine—predictable and stable—but I felt stuck. I hadn’t been promoted, wasn’t growing, and every time I applied to external roles, I was met with silence.

I watched others leapfrog into new opportunities and leadership roles, wondering what secret they had that I didn’t. I assumed maybe they had better degrees or insider experience.

One day, while mindlessly scrolling through LinkedIn, I saw a former classmate, Priya, had just become a product manager at a top-tier tech company. We’d once done a group project together in college. I remembered her being smart, but not that different from the rest of us.

Out of curiosity—and maybe a bit of desperation—I sent her a message.

“Hey Priya! Long time. Congrats on the new role. Would love to hear how you got there if you’re open to chatting sometime.”

To my surprise, she replied within an hour.

“Hey! Thank you. I'd be happy to catch up. Coffee this Friday?”

The Coffee That Changed Everything

That Friday, I met Priya at a local café. She greeted me like an old friend, and for the first time in a while, I felt like I wasn’t just a job title—I was a person again.

We talked about her journey. What stood out most wasn’t her technical expertise or a prestigious degree—it was the people she’d met.

She told me how one conversation at a tech meetup had led to an internship, which led to a mentor, which opened doors to projects, interviews, and eventually her dream role.

“It’s not about using people,” she said. “It’s about showing up, building real relationships, and staying curious.”

Before we left, she asked me what I wanted from my career. I didn’t have a clear answer. She smiled and said, “Start talking to people who do what you want to do. Just ask questions. You’ll be surprised where it leads.”

My First Steps into Networking

The idea still made me nervous. I wasn’t extroverted. I didn’t have fancy contacts. But I decided to start small.

That weekend, I made a list of ten people—former classmates, colleagues from old internships, even a few connections on LinkedIn. I messaged each of them with a short, genuine note. Nothing pushy—just curiosity and appreciation.

Out of ten messages, six replied. Four agreed to short calls. One invited me to a virtual panel they were hosting on careers in tech.

And just like that, the walls I had built around my career started to crack.

Opportunities Begin to Bloom

Over the next two months, I made networking a habit.

Every week, I reached out to someone new. Sometimes we’d talk for 15 minutes. Sometimes it turned into an hour. I asked about their paths, their mistakes, their favorite tools or resources. I didn’t ask for jobs—I asked for stories.

A surprising thing happened: people wanted to help. They introduced me to others, offered advice, shared job boards, or even asked to see my resume.

One of those connections—a friend of Priya’s—was hiring for a junior product analyst role. It wasn’t what I had imagined myself doing, but it aligned perfectly with my skills and the direction I wanted to grow.

They offered me the job.

A New Chapter, A New Mindset

Starting that new role felt like entering a different world.

The company culture was collaborative. I was encouraged to experiment, lead meetings, and present findings. Within three months, I was co-managing a project. Within a year, I had been promoted.

All of it, I traced back to that one coffee meeting.

Looking back, I realized it wasn’t just the role that changed. I had changed. I became someone who reached out, who asked questions, who listened more than I spoke.

Networking didn’t just help me “get ahead”—it helped me connect with people, with possibilities, and with purpose.

What I Learned

There’s a myth that success comes from talent and grind alone. But the truth? Relationships are the bridges between where you are and where you want to go.

Networking isn’t about schmoozing at cocktail parties or handing out business cards. It’s about being human. Curious. Grateful. Willing to learn from others.

It’s about showing up, not just for opportunities—but for people.

Moral of the Story:

Never underestimate the power of one conversation.

The right connection can open a door you didn’t even know existed.

But first—you have to be brave enough to knock.

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Thank you for reading...

Regards: Fazal Hadi