Step 7.6: The Kindness of Strangers
The Network Effect: Why Career Karma Has Perfect Timing
The most powerful moment in your job search will come from someone you aren't expecting, at a time you aren't ready, in a way you never planned.
Here's the truth about networking karma: That person you helped with their resume three years ago? They just became a hiring manager. That junior colleague you mentored? Now leads a team at your dream company. That random coffee chat where you made an introduction? They remember.
The secret? Career karma doesn't appear when you need it. It appears when you've banked enough of it.
Think of networking like compound interest. Small deposits of helpfulness, made consistently over time, suddenly pay off in unexpected ways.
Some real talk: When you're in the depths of a job search, it's tempting to become a professional favor-asker. To see every connection as a potential stepping stone. To focus only on what you need.
Don't.
Instead: Keep helping others even when you need help Keep making introductions even when you want them Keep sharing insights even when you're running low Keep showing up for others even when you're tired
The market rewards those who give value before they need value.
Your move: Who could you help today? What introduction could you make? What insight could you share?
Because the best time to build your network was five years ago. The second best time is right now.