You’ve probably heard it a thousand times: Your network is your net worth.

It’s not about how many people you know or who you know. It’s about finding the link to the right people!

And it’s about reminding them that you exist! But we get to that later.

This is one of the exercises of my free guide to help you create a work life that works for you. You can get it here to get more quick and easy tasks like this to progress your freelance career.

But remember that working on becoming a freelancer is… well, work.

But the fact that you’re reading this blog article shows you’re keen and are willing to put in the effort.

This task may be an easy one, but it's also very benenfical.

Collect your network

People always talk about building your network. But to build on something, you need to know what you are building on.

So today, you’re exploring your existing network. And it might be better than you think.

Grab Pen and Paper and let’s go ✍️

Step 1

Think of all the people who you ever worked with. Include the time you were waiting tables as an intern or when you watered your neighbour’s garden or walked a dog.

Include all the colleagues from existing and previous employments. There’s more people than just previous managers ☝️ don’t just look up, but look at all directions of the hierarchy.

Write down the names of every single person that you remember ever having worked with or for.

Step 2

Now think of all the people you know who have a link to companies you’d like to work for. Miriam from the running club who told you that she just got a job at Google. Your friend’s mum who said that her cousin got a job at Spotify. Those people might not be your direct link, but they’re the one connection to the link you need. Write down their names.

Step 3

Look at this list of people. That’s your network. Probably more people than you thought, right?

👉 Save this list. Now we’ve looked at your existing network, we’ll build on your network in a future task.

Brownie points

If you have more time today, put those names into an excel spreadsheet or notion. Add any contact details you might have, emails, phone numbers or the phone number of the connection to that connection.

All these people can be your leads or biggest cheerleaders.

Why does it matter?

The warmest leads come through referrals. It’s when you don’t have to show people proof through your portfolio or CV. They’re already keen on working with you because someone they trust has referred you.

It’s the same when you’re thinking of going to a restaurant because of good reviews on Google vs. a restaurant that your best friend recommends to you personally.

Your network will be your cheerleaders and support. It’s the people who know you who will refer you to others. It’s those people that know your work ethics and even though some of them might not be “beneficial” now, you never know how far their career might take them.

The colleague you had back during your internship might have founded their own startup and needs your services. Or they know other company founders who will hire you.

But remember: People are people. Be nice, don’t ask without giving in return. Help those who ask you for help, even when you don’t think you’ll get anything in return.

You never know who you might know

Hopefully this exercise helped you realise the connections you already have. You can always expand your network from here.

👩🏻‍💻 Free Guide

The exercise described in this blog article is one of the steps of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them.

Get the guide for free.