IF THEY DON’T REMEMBER YOU, YOUR NETWORKING DIDN’T WORK

 Building career connections is important. But let me sharpen that.

It’s not about how many people you know. It’s about who remembers you when an opportunity shows up.

You can know thousands of people. If none of them think of you at the right moment, your networking is moot. 

That’s why I always say:

Always Be Careering. 

Networking is not an emergency activity. It’s a daily leadership habit. 

Let’s break it down.

1. Internal networking: Your fastest growth lever

• Stretch assignments.
• Cross-functional projects.
• Volunteering.
• Product launches.

Every time you step outside your core job description, you expand your internal visibility. And here’s one simple upgrade most professionals in Asia underuse:

Coffee. Lunch. Repeat. 

Keith Ferrazzi wrote Never Eat Alone for a reason. If you go into the office once or twice a week, schedule one coffee or lunch intentionally. Not randomly. Intentionally.

People don’t assess you only on the merits of your work. They assess you on the merits of who you are. Being the CEO of your Career means you don’t hide behind your laptop.

2. External networking: Be selective, not scattered

• Upskilling? Stay in touch with one or two strong peers from the cohort.
• Leaving a company? Identify a handful of people you genuinely want to maintain a relationship with.

You do not need to maintain your entire contact list. You need depth, not volume. 

Attend industry events, but be mindful. Some events are filled with job seekers talking only to job seekers. Others are filled with salespeople trying to sell. Choose rooms where long-term relationships can form.

3. Recreation groups: The unexpected goldmine

Some of the best opportunities don’t come from “networking events.” They come from:

• Zumba class.
• Running clubs.
• Parent groups.
• Hobby communities.

I once met a senior marketing leader at a Bollywood Zumba class. Months later, that casual connection turned into a professional collaboration. 

We hadn’t gone there to “network.” We had gone there to dance. But because we took the time to know what each other did, opportunity found us. 

Always Be Careering does not mean being transactional. It means being curious.

4. The one-message rule

Here’s a rule I created for myself when I started my business: 

Before my morning coffee, send one message to someone in my network. 

No agenda. No ask. Just a ping. 

Some weeks, I do it daily. Some weeks, I manage two or three. But over time? That compounds massively.

And when you reach out when you don’t need anything, the relationship becomes real. That’s how people remember you.

If you have been feeling invisible…

If opportunities don’t seem to “come your way”…

If you are excellent at your job but not expanding your circle…

This is your nudge. Be the CEO of your Career.

Because opportunities don’t go to the most qualified, they go to the most remembered. 

With intention, 

Shub (Your Career Growth Partner)