Insights from Your Favorite Recruiter & Career Coach

When people think about earning a promotion, they usually focus on working harder, exceeding goals, and proving they can handle more responsibility.

Those things matter but great work does not always speak for itself, especially when the people making talent decisions do not know you, your strengths, or what you hope to do next.

That is where internal networking becomes important.

Internal networking is not about collecting names, forcing conversations, or asking someone to help you get promoted. It is about building genuine relationships across the organization before you need something.

Start by looking beyond your immediate team. Who works in a department that interests you? Who has a role you would like to understand better? Who leads projects connected to skills you want to develop?

Reach out with curiosity, not an immediate request. You might say: “I’m interested in learning more about the work your team is doing. Would you be open to a brief conversation about your role and the skills that are most valuable on your team?”

During that conversation, ask thoughtful questions:

• What experiences helped you prepare for your current role? 
• What skills does your team need most? 
• What projects would give someone exposure to this area? 
• What advice would you give someone hoping to grow within the organization? 

Then listen.

The goal is not to end every conversation by asking about an opening. The goal is to gather information, become more visible, and begin building relationships that continue over time.

Use what you learn. Volunteer for a cross-functional project. Join an employee resource group. Attend internal events. Ask to shadow someone. Offer your expertise when another team needs support. Follow up when a person’s advice helps you achieve something.

You should also have an honest conversation with your manager about your goals. A good manager cannot help you prepare for a promotion they do not know you want. Ask what skills, results, and experiences you still need to demonstrate and request opportunities to build them.

Your next promotion will still require performance. Networking cannot replace readiness but when opportunities arise, decision-makers often consider people whose work they have seen, whose reputations they trust, and whose career interests they understand.

Do not wait for a position to open before introducing yourself. 

Build the relationships now. Let people see how you contribute. Learn where the organization is going and position yourself to grow with it.

I was halfway through an interview before I realized the candidate was standing inside a store.

The call hadn’t started as a scheduled interview. He was returning my call, we jumped into a conversation, and it naturally evolved into one.

As we talked, I noticed that his answers were more general than I expected. He had relevant experience, but he wasn’t giving me the specific examples I needed to fully understand what he could bring to the role.

He apologized for the noise, saying he was in the store.

I didn’t hear any noise… but he certainly did.

People were talking and moving around him. Yet he never complained, appeared uncomfortable, or showed that he was struggling to focus. He simply continued answering my questions as best he could.

Once I realized where he was, I offered to schedule the call for a more convenient time, one that would allow him to speak freely and present his experience without distractions.

He explained that he had been unemployed for a while and did not want to miss the opportunity.

That moment stayed with me.

Jobseekers often believe they must push through any circumstance to prove how badly they want a position. They interview from parked cars, take calls during work breaks, or continue virtual interviews through technical difficulties because they fear asking for flexibility could cost them their chance.

I believe those moments reveal something important about the jobseeker and the employer, too.

When circumstances are not ideal, does the interviewer respond with patience or irritation? Do they immediately make assumptions about the candidate’s preparation, or take a moment to understand what may be happening? Are they willing to pause or reschedule so the candidate can present their best self?

Culture is not only what a company says on its careers page. It is how its people respond when the process becomes inconvenient.

The same is true after the interview. Hiring delays happen. Priorities change. Positions are paused, restructured, or filled internally. Candidates may not like the news, but how an organization communicates it matters.

Do they provide an honest update? Do they follow through? Do they respect the candidate’s time… or leave them waiting without clarity?

No hiring process will be perfect but jobseekers should pay attention to how a company handles imperfect moments. Patience, flexibility, transparency, and respect are not small details. They are clues.

The polished employer-branding statement tells you what a company wants you to believe about its culture. The inconvenient moment may show you what that culture actually feels like.