Identify Your Trusted Inner Circle
Your inner circle is the small group of people who know you well, respect your confidentiality, and genuinely want to help you. These are the people you can be completely honest with about your search. They are often more helpful than a broad network because the trust is already there.
Your inner circle is the small group of people who know you well, respect your confidentiality, and genuinely want to help you. These are the people you can be completely honest with about your search. They are often more helpful than a broad network because the trust is already there.
Step by Step
Write down 5 to 8 people you trust completely These are people who:
Would never tell your current employer or mutual colleagues about your search
Know your work and can speak to your strengths
Have networks that extend into industries or companies you are interested in
Would go out of their way to help you if they could
Think about what each person can offer For each person on your list consider: do they work in your target industry, do they know anyone at your target companies, have they recently been through a job search themselves, or do they have a large and well-connected network?
Prioritize your list Put the people who are most likely to have genuinely helpful connections at the top. These are who you reach out to first.
Tips for success
Former managers and mentors are often the most valuable people in your inner circle. They know your work deeply and tend to have broad professional networks.
Be selective about who you tell. The more people who know about your search the higher the risk of it reaching your current employer before you are ready.