Does Networking Actually Work for Senior Roles?
(What people think networking is — and what actually moves senior hiring decisions)
“You need to network more” is one of the most common pieces of advice given to senior job seekers.
Most experienced leaders already have networks — colleagues, peers, clients, advisors, and long-standing professional relationships. Yet when it comes to finding a senior role, many are told to intensify networking without clarity on whether it genuinely leads to outcomes.
This page looks at networking honestly: when it helps at senior level, when it doesn’t, and why the version most people pursue often fails to produce results.
What Most People Mean When They Say “Networking”
In practice, networking advice usually translates into a transactional set of actions:
- reaching out to people you haven’t spoken to in years
- asking for “a quick coffee” or catch-up
- explaining you are looking for opportunities
- hoping something materialises as a result
This approach assumes opportunities already exist, that contacts are aware of them, and that effort directly correlates with outcomes. At senior level, these assumptions rarely hold.
Why Transactional Networking Rarely Creates Senior Roles
Coffee chats are not useless — but they are often misunderstood.
Most senior roles are not open when conversations take place. The person you are speaking to often does not control hiring, is not aware of future needs, or cannot act on the conversation even if they want to help.
The result is polite conversations, vague encouragement, and little follow-up — not because people are unhelpful, but because senior hiring does not usually operate on demand.
How Senior Networking Actually Works
At leadership level, networking is less about activity and more about familiarity.
Senior decisions are influenced by who feels known, trusted, and credible when uncertainty arises — not by who asked most recently.
- repeated low-pressure interactions
- ongoing professional relevance
- visibility over time rather than urgency
- being associated with the right problems
This kind of networking compounds quietly and often pays off later — sometimes long after the original conversation.
Transactional Networking vs Reputation-Based Familiarity
The difference matters.
Transactional networking is driven by need, focuses on asking, and is time-bound. Reputation-based familiarity builds before urgency, does not require explicit requests, and allows others to advocate naturally.
Senior opportunities overwhelmingly emerge from the second — not the first.
Recruiter and Agency Networks: Useful, but With Limits
Recruiter-led and agency-based networks can be helpful when they provide genuine access to decision-makers and understand senior positioning.
However, many such networks are heavily populated with unemployed candidates and focus on circulating people rather than creating opportunities.
The risk is spending significant time with people who are not hiring, do not influence hiring, or are unaware of upcoming needs. At senior level, the goal is access — not exposure.
Who Actually Matters in Senior Networking
Effective senior networking prioritises proximity to decision-making.
- functional leaders and hiring managers
- founders and owners
- board members and investors
- senior peers embedded in relevant ecosystems
- advisors who regularly speak to decision-makers
The right question is not “can this person help me?” but “would this person be aware if something was about to happen?”
Staying Connected Without Turning Networking Into a Job
The most effective senior networking tends to be lightweight and intentional.
- occasional, thoughtful LinkedIn messages
- sharing something relevant without asking
- brief check-ins every few months
- catching up when there is genuine context
The aim is not to stay top-of-mind for everyone — only for the right people.
This is explored in more detail here: How Senior Leadership Roles Are Actually Secured.
So — Does Networking Actually Work?
Yes — but not as a standalone strategy, and not in the way most people pursue it.
Networking works best when it supports a broader, intentional approach — rather than replacing proactive action.
