When I look back on my career, one pattern stands out clearly: most of my jobs came through networking, not cold applications. In fact, only a handful of times have I landed a role purely on my own. More often, it was a referral, a past colleague, or a connection who opened the door.
Even my very first part-time job came through referral. My second, a full-time role, was the same. The job after that was one of the few I landed on my own. Then came two more through referrals, then another I got on my own. My current role came through a recruiter reaching out directly. Across all these transitions, one thing is consistent: networking has helped me move quickly from job to job, leaving no gaps.
And it wasn’t just about getting offers faster. It was about people I had worked with before recognizing me as someone reliable and easy to work with, and choosing to vouch for me. That’s a powerful thing.
What I Learned the Hard Way
Networking hasn’t always been perfect, though. Looking back, one mistake I made was letting myself be persuaded into jobs that weren’t the right fit.
For example, there were times when friends or colleagues left a company and wanted me to join them. Sometimes I said yes even when, deep down, I wasn’t sure if the company was a good match for me. If I could go back, I’d ask myself a simple question: “Without their persuasion, would I have applied for this role on my own?”
That question isn’t always easy to answer, especially in tough job markets. I know not everyone can afford to be choosy. But if you do have the privilege of choice, it’s worth pausing to ask. A strong network is invaluable—but it shouldn’t override your own sense of what’s right for you.
How I Approach Networking
Here’s the thing: I’ve never been someone to network with strangers on the internet. My style is simple. I get to know my colleagues over time. I socialize, collaborate, and learn how they work. From there, real relationships form.
Of course, this way of networking requires that the people you work with are genuinely good people. That’s not always guaranteed. But when it does happen, those connections last.
In fact, some of the people I met near the very start of my career—well over a decade ago—are still in my life. We’ve kept up group chats, we meet up once a year, and we check in casually. These aren’t “fake” connections for the sake of networking. They’re real friendships built on shared experiences. That’s what makes them last.
Advice for Early-Career Engineers
If you’re just starting out, networking might sound intimidating. You might think, “But I don’t have much experience. Who would want to network with me?”
Here’s the truth: you already have a network. Maybe it’s classmates, professors, project teammates, or internship peers. Those connections count. They’re the seeds of your future career network.
I’ll give you one small example. Early on, I used pramp.com to practice interviews with strangers. One of the people I matched with later landed a job at Amazon. We stayed in touch on LinkedIn and chatted occasionally. That connection never turned into a referral or job opportunity—but it easily could have. Networking isn’t always about direct results. Sometimes it’s just about building relationships that might matter later.
Networking Changes With Time
One thing I’ve realized as I’ve gotten older is that my approach to networking has changed. Earlier in my career, I spent more time with colleagues outside of work, building those relationships. Now that I have a family with kids, I naturally spend less time doing that.
And that’s OK.
Networking doesn’t have to mean constantly grabbing happy hours or attending every meetup. At this stage in life, I focus on the relationships I already have, and I let new ones form more naturally through work itself. The truth is, you don’t need to network the same way forever. It’s about finding a balance that works for you in each season of life.
My Closing Thought
Networking has been one of the most important factors in my career growth. Not because it’s a shortcut, but because it’s about people. Building genuine relationships, being someone others can rely on, and staying connected over time—that’s the real power of networking.
And if you’re just starting out, here’s my best advice: don’t think of networking as “using people.” Think of it as building relationships with people you respect and enjoy working with. Do that consistently, and you’ll find that doors open when you least expect them.
johnro 
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