Making Connections When You Don’t Have Any

How many times have you heard the advice, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know?”

Unlike a lot of other writing advice that I don’t love, I think that particular piece of advice is so true.

When you want to be writer—or anything for that matter—you don’t need to have a specific degree or work in “the industry” for years to get your foot in the door. In fact, my first corporate job as a writer came right after I spent a few years working as an executive assistant.

Often times, finding your version of success as a writer is more about making the right connections, at the right time. How do I know this? Because I didn’t start out with any connections. I didn’t know anybody who was a writer and I didn’t have any special credentials (besides my degree in broadcast journalism—which, by the way, is very different from print journalism). Instead, I had to make my own connections from scratch.

It's totally possible, I promise!

Here are my five top tips for making connections that could help you get to the next step in your writing career:

1.     Find Common Ground  

Don’t we all love meeting people we have things in common with? It’s the foundational basis for any relationship, including work connections. That’s why this tip is so important.

When I was on the hunt for my first job post college (I wanted to be a news reporter), the first thing I did was scour the employee page of every TV station I was interested in. A lot of businesses will have a page on their website that features their team with a short bio about each one. Finding one of those was like finding a gold mine.

I’d look for anything we had in common: my alma mater, clubs, church affiliations, places we’ve lived, hobbies, etc.

For example, during one of these “research” sessions in college, I found a reporter at a station in Maryland who graduated from Penn State. I sent him a message on LinkedIn asking if he’d take a look at my resume reel. He generously said yes and then offered to send it to his news director! This connection eventually led to a job offer, and all I did was pick the right person to ask for help.  

(This could work in any industry, but especially in the writing world because us writers love to support other writers.) 

2.     Dig, Dig, Dig

This tip goes along with #1. If you haven’t found common ground with someone, keep on digging!

Before an interview for a different job, I remember researching one of leaders I would be meeting with. I found a blog he’d written that mentioned Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. So, what did I do? I made sure to find a way to mention that book in the interview. I remember his jaw dropping (he was a big fan of this book) and turning around to find the book on his shelf—I’m telling you, people love talking about things they love.

Before you give up on finding common ground, make sure you’ve scoured through LinkedIn, Instagram, blogs like Medium, and even just searched their names/affiliations to find interviews they done on other publications. Not only will this information help you “get in the door,” but it will also help you once the connection is made.  

3.     Look Beyond First-Degree Connections

You have to be prepared to look beyond who you know to find the people they know. Second- and third-degree connections can be just as helpful when you’re looking for an in somewhere. That’s why I always tell people to ask their community who they might know.  

But here’s the catch: This involves you getting comfortable with telling people what you’re pursuing. Trust me, I know how intimidating that can feel. 

When I first started working on my novel, I would cringe anytime someone would ask me what I did for a living. My husband would often speak up for me and tell people about the book I was working on and then leave it to me to explain. It was hard to get the smiles and the nods (people never knew what else to say—they, nor I, ever thought it’d actually get published), but it was an important step in making sure people knew what I was up to so that they could help connect me with people in the industry they were acquainted with.

4.     Be Bold

Sometimes you get an in through a connection, and other times you have to put down your pride and just straight up ask. Yes, you’re asking for rejection and you’ll probably experience a lot of it, but you’ll miss out on a lot of smaller “yes’s” if you don’t at least ask.

When my husband was finishing up his training and job hunting, he called the main line of a business he was interested in working for. They offered a different kind of work and pay structure than most businesses in his industry. He really wanted to work there, but he didn’t have any connections to get an interview. That’s why he just picked up the phone and dialed their front desk.

When he told the receptionist he was looking for more information about applying for a job, the receptionist transferred his call to the Chief Medical Officer. Here’s the kicker:  she was filling in for the regular receptionist.

The regular receptionist would have never transferred him to the CMO, but the sub had no idea. Long story short, he ended up getting an interview followed by a job offer! But that would have never happened had he not been bold enough to just call, ask, and see what happens . . . which leads me to . . .

5.     Change Your Mindset           

This might be the most important tip I can offer. Don’t assume there’s nothing you can do. If there’s a dream on your heart, but you have no idea how you’re going to get there, just take baby steps.

Start with setting goals. Make them manageable, but also a little bit scary—challenge yourself! Then work backwards.

If your goal is to move industries, how can you start working on gaining some relevant experience?

If your goal is to write a book, how can you find spare time to start outlining?

If your goal is to launch a blog or grow your readership, how can you start connecting with people who are already doing this and seeing success?

Friends, there’s always a way. You don’t have to come from a great line of wealth or connections to pursue a big, crazy dream. Create your own connections and watch the magic happen.