Networks

What are Networks?

Your professional relationships – the people you know, how well you know them, and how those connections support your career and contribute to theirs.

Why Networks matters

Most opportunities come through people – An estimated 85% of jobs are filled through networking, and 70% are never publicly posted. Referral candidates are hired up to 70% faster i i.
Weak ties unlock novel information – Moderately weak ties have the greatest impact on job mobility because casual acquaintances connect you to networks that do not overlap with your own i.
Most people network reactively – Despite 80% of professionals considering networking important, most only reach out when they need something. Deliberate, sustained network building is uncommon.

Networks Values

Your approach to professional networking depends on what aspects you value most. This guide balances three core values, with percentages indicating the relative weight given to each in our recommendations.

Depth (40%)

The quality and strength of key professional relationships – trusted advisors, mentors, collaborators, and allies who genuinely understand your work and advocate for you.
Investing time in deepening important relationships, providing genuine value, and building trust that leads to meaningful opportunities.
People who prioritise this value cultivate a smaller number of high-value relationships.

Breadth (35%)

The range and diversity of your professional network – connections across different industries, roles, seniority levels, and backgrounds.
Building beyond your immediate field, maintaining weak ties, and ensuring your network provides access to diverse information.
People who prioritise this value actively expand their circle.

Relevance (25%)

Ensuring your network connections are aligned with your current and future professional direction.
Regularly evaluating whether your network serves your goals, pruning connections that no longer add value, and deliberately building relationships in areas where you are heading.
People who prioritise this value maintain a strategically focused network.

Benchmarks by Level

Despite 80% of professionals considering networking important to career success, most people network reactively – reaching out only when they need something. Deliberate, sustained network building and maintenance is uncommon. The average professional has hundreds of LinkedIn connections but meaningful relationships with only a handful. Building a network that genuinely generates opportunities requires consistent effort, genuine generosity, and strategic thinking about who to connect with and how.

Level 1: Awareness

Depth: Identify which professional relationships are genuinely strong (mutual trust and willingness to advocate) versus superficial i

Breadth: Know the approximate size and diversity of your current professional network, and identify gaps in industries or roles you lack connections to i

Relevance: Assess whether your current network connections are aligned with where your career is heading i

Level 2: Foundation (80th percentile capability)

Depth: 5 – 10 strong professional relationships with people who would actively recommend or advocate for you i

Breadth: Active connections across at least 3 professional contexts (current work, previous roles, industry groups), with new connections added regularly i

Relevance: Network connections that reflect your current professional direction, with at least some relationships in areas where you are building toward future goals i

Level 3: Proficiency (95th percentile capability)

Depth: 15 – 20 strong relationships including mentors, peers, and mentees, with regular meaningful contact and mutual investment i

Breadth: Broad network spanning multiple industries and seniority levels, with systematic approach to meeting new people and maintaining connections across diverse contexts i

Relevance: Network deliberately shaped around your professional trajectory – connections regularly reviewed and new relationships built in strategic areas i

Level 4: Excellence (99th percentile capability)

Depth: Deep, trusted relationships with influential professionals who actively champion your career and seek your input on important decisions i

Breadth: Extensive network across industries, geographies, and seniority levels, with the ability to reach almost anyone through 1 – 2 introductions i

Relevance: A strategically curated network where every significant relationship serves your current or future direction, with minimal legacy connections that no longer add value i

Level 5: Mastery (99.9th percentile capability)

Depth: Relationships of extraordinary depth with leaders across multiple fields, built over decades of mutual investment, trust, and shared accomplishment i

Breadth: A network so broad and diverse that you are regularly connected to emerging opportunities, talent, and ideas before they become widely known i

Relevance: A network that evolves in perfect alignment with your professional direction – your connections anticipate where you are heading and proactively surface relevant opportunities i

Levels

Level 1: Awareness (under development)
Level 2: Foundation (under development)
Level 3: Proficiency (under development)
Level 4: Excellence (under development)
Level 5: Mastery (under development)

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