What You Should Remember
Send short, helpful messages or articles every few months to keep yourself in mind without forcing a formal meeting.
Make sure your contact benefits from talking to you, whether through a helpful resource, a useful introduction, or a genuine compliment.
Use public events like a promotion, a company anniversary, or news about them as a natural, easy reason to get back in touch.
Look for small ways to support your contacts—like a fast recommendation or sharing a job opening—that build goodwill without taking much time.
Using Your Network Effectively
Most people treat their professional contacts like a machine you put money into only when you want something out. They send those awkward emails like "just checking in" that offer no help and just make the other person feel like they owe you something. If reaching out feels like homework for the person getting the message, you aren't networking; you're asking for a handout. This poor way of connecting means people will quickly forget you or ignore you.
For leaders, a strong network is a secret weapon for getting information fast. Companies waste money and time by taking months to check out new hires or find reliable industry news. A leader who has a personal list of trusted people can skip these delays. Getting this wrong doesn't just hurt your current work; it hurts your reputation and limits how much money you can make by keeping you out of important discussions.
"If you want to be interesting, be interested."
— David Ogilvy, advertising executive and author
To get the attention of top executives, you have to get past people who are paid to filter out anyone who seems like a "taker." The most successful people focus on giving small bits of value—a helpful thought or a good introduction—and adding "no need to reply" to remove any obligation. This changes you from being a task to being a helpful contact, building the trust needed so people see you as an equal, not a bother.
What Does It Mean to Keep Your Network Warm?
Keeping your network warm means maintaining consistent, low-effort contact with professional connections before you need anything from them. Small gestures—sharing a relevant article, congratulating a promotion, making a useful introduction—build trust steadily over time, so when opportunities arise, you're already top of mind.
According to LinkedIn's research, 80% of professionals say networking is important to career success—yet most only reach out when they need something. The professionals who consistently get called first aren't the most talented; they're the ones who stayed present. If you want a deeper look at how this applies outside of active job hunting, see our guide on keeping your network active between job searches.
The Simple 3-Step Contact Plan
Before you contact someone, you must know what they actually care about right now. Many people fail because they send generic messages. Research their current "Big Problem"—like a new product they are launching, a hiring need, or a major industry change—and you become a useful source of information instead of just a random name.
Make a simple list with three columns: Name, Their Current Problem, and The Helpful Gift You Can Give. Spend 15 minutes looking at LinkedIn or company news to find one specific issue each contact is dealing with. Match that problem with a "gift"—an article, a tool suggestion, or a person you know who could help them.
"I saw that [Company] is focusing a lot on [Specific Goal]. I found this short guide on how [Similar Company] managed a similar change, and I thought the facts on page 4 might save your team some time."
We don't just look for skills; we look for people who understand the business's current challenges. When you show you know what they are struggling with, you move straight from the "General Applicant" list to the "Trusted Helper" list, even before any job is posted.
To get past the usual flood of emails, you must remove the hassle of replying. Important people often skip messages because answering feels like work. Share something useful and tell them no reply is needed. That one move instantly shifts the dynamic.
Send the helpful item you found (from Step 1) by email or message. Keep it short. Your goal is to be a "Value Provider," not a "Taker." Do not ask for a meeting, a call, or even a simple "How are you?" Make sure the message is quick and easy to read in under 10 seconds.
"I saw this [Resource/Info] today and immediately thought of your work on [Project]. I know you're busy, so no reply needed—just wanted to make sure you saw this helpful resource!"
We favor candidates who are "easy to work with." We are much more likely to contact someone who consistently shares useful things without asking for our time in return, because we know talking to them will be helpful and not draining.
Staying connected means being consistent, not intense. You want to remain in their "Trust Zone" so that when they suddenly need to hire someone fast or find quick market information, you are the first person they think of. Send new helpful items every 3 months. That cadence keeps your name active in their mind. The stakes are concrete: referrals make up just 7% of job applications but account for 40% of all hires, according to data from Apollo Technical. Being top of mind when a contact has a sudden need is what turns a warm connection into a real opportunity. If your connections have already grown distant, our guide on re-engaging a dormant professional network covers how to restart those relationships without awkwardness.
Set a reminder on your calendar for every 3 months for your top 20 contacts. Each time it reminds you, find a new small, helpful touchpoint. This could be introducing them to a peer, congratulating them on a specific company success, or sharing a quick market trend you’ve noticed.
"It’s been a while, and I've been tracking the progress on [Specific Project]. This new report on [Industry Trend] looks like it could affect your goals for the next quarter—just wanted to share the heads-up. Hope things are going well!"
Companies pay a lot to find "vetted" candidates. When an executive can say, "I know someone who sends me great market news regularly," that person skips the whole HR screening process. You aren't just networking; you are lowering the company's cost to hire someone.
How Cruit Helps Your Contact Strategy
For Step 2: Sending Messages
Networking ToolHelps you write short messages that offer value without creating awkward social pressure.
For Step 3: Content Ideas
Idea LogKeeps a record of useful ideas and your own achievements so you never run out of things to share as gifts.
For Step 1: Research
Guidance ToolAsks you questions to help you figure out exactly what your helpful "gifts" are for your network contacts.
Quick Questions on Building a Better Network
How do I stay in touch without seeming pushy?
Don’t confuse being persistent with being annoying. You are only annoying when you make the other person do work. If your message asks "Can we talk?" or "What do you think?", you are asking them to use their time. That is pushy.
When you use the Value Delivery method, you are sending a "gift," not a bill. The phrase "No need to reply, I just thought this would be useful" removes the feeling that they owe you something. You stop being a task and start being helpful. You go too far only when you demand a response. As long as your outreach is short, relevant, and requires zero effort from them, you are a contact they are glad to hear from.
What can I offer my network if I’m not a senior professional?
Value depends on who you are talking to, and top leaders are often the most out of touch with everyday issues. You don’t need a huge secret; you just need to save them the time it takes to find something simple.
- Find a podcast where a competitor’s leader was interviewed and point out a 30-second part that relates to what the executive you know is currently working on.
- Find a new software tool that solves a simple daily problem that people in that industry often complain about.
Being valuable isn’t about being better; it’s about doing the homework they are too busy to do. If you can’t find one thing that makes their job 1% easier, you aren’t paying close enough attention to their world.
What if my networking messages get no replies?
You are judging success the wrong way. For busy executives, silence isn’t a "no"; it means their schedule is full. Your goal isn’t to become best friends instantly; it is to own a small, good spot in their memory.
Every time your name shows up in their inbox attached to a helpful link or a quick thought, your positive relationship score goes up. You are building a reputation as someone who shares good information, not noise. When a job opens up or a big problem appears, they will check their inbox and see the person who has been helping them for months without asking for anything.
How often should I reach out to my professional contacts?
Every three months works well for most professional contacts. Set a calendar reminder for your top 20 connections. For closer contacts—mentors, former managers, key collaborators—every six to eight weeks is reasonable. The goal is consistency, not frequency. Sporadic contact every few weeks followed by months of silence is harder to sustain and less effective than a steady quarterly rhythm.
What if I genuinely have nothing useful to share?
Congratulating someone on a professional milestone is always appropriate and requires no preparation. Look at their LinkedIn for a recent post, a company announcement, or a work anniversary. A short, specific note—"I saw your company just launched X, that’s a big deal in this market"—is more than enough. You don’t need insider knowledge. You just need to pay attention.
Take Charge of Your Professional Worth
Stop seeing yourself as just someone looking for a job; start acting like a valuable business helper.
Companies hire people who make things easier and who lead with confidence.
Avoid the taker mindset: treating contacts like ATMs signals low value and high need.
Master the value-first approach—giving without creating obligation—to prove you belong where important decisions are made.
Change from someone who takes to a helpful partner.
