Here’s an odd fact about job seekers: most never formally tell their own network they’re looking. The people most likely to open a door for you — the ones who already know, like and trust you — often find out you were searching after you’ve landed. That’s a working channel, switched off.
Your warm network is the first door you knock on, and the one most likely to open.
Why this feels hard (and why it isn’t)
People avoid this because it feels like asking for charity. So don’t ask for charity — don’t even ask for a job. Ask for eyes and ears. Nobody feels imposed on by “keep an eye out for me,” and almost everyone quietly enjoys being the person who made the introduction that worked.
The message
Send five of these today — former colleagues, old bosses, people who’ve seen your work:
“Hi [name], long time. I’m starting to look at my next move — thinking [target area]. Not asking you for anything specific, but if you hear of anyone worth talking to, I’d value the pointer. Happy to return the favour anytime.”
Notice what it does. It’s short. It names what you’re looking for, so their brain can pattern-match when something crosses their desk. It asks for nothing burdensome. And it carries zero desperation — no CV attached, no essay, no apology.
The five variants
- The former colleague: the script above, as written. Warmth does the work.
- The old boss: add one line — “you know what I’m capable of better than most” — because their referral carries the most weight.
- The bridge: for someone connected to a company you want: “I see you know [person] at [company] — would you be comfortable introducing us? Happy to send two lines you can forward.” Always spend a warm introduction before you spend a cold message.
- The reconnect: for someone you’ve neglected: open with them, not you. Comment on what they’ve been doing, then the script. Honest beats smooth.
- The give-first: for someone you can help right now — send the useful thing first (an article, an intro, a heads-up), and let the ask ride behind it.
Then keep the threads warm
Not everyone replies, and that’s fine — it’s partly a numbers game, and a polite follow-up a week later is not pestering; it’s how professionals behave. The real discipline is tracking who you’ve told, who owes you a reply, and who to circle back to — because opportunities rarely die from rejection. They die from silence, usually yours.