By Jeff Altman, Big Game Hunter
EP 3102 This episode details how senior professionals can attract the right opportunities through intentional, value-driven networking. I researched some practical habits that will make you visible, credible, and memorable in the executive marketplace. If you’re ready to move beyond random conversations and start generating real momentum in your career, this will point you in the right direction.
LinkedIn’s #opentowork post
Okay, let’s get started. Today, we are going to talk about a professional hacker that completely subverts people’s old social rules. Seriously, we’re talking about a way, a smarter way to achieve success by letting amazing opportunities come directly to you.
I mean, does this sound familiar? You’re just tired of the whole networking chore. You send out cold emails that just disappear without a trace, or you drag yourself into these awkward social events where you make small talk and it never leads to anything. Pretty frustrating, right? Well, there are better ways to play this game.
So it all comes down to this critical shift in your mindset. You still follow the old path and chase opportunities. This is the push strategy.
So tired. But there is a new way, and that is attracting opportunities. It’s a pull tactic, and suddenly, enthusiastic leads and incredible offers start falling into your lap.
So let’s give it a name, shall we? We call this an attraction strategy. See, this isn’t just some trick. It’s a completely different way of thinking about your career and professional visibility.
It’s about making yourself a magnet for the opportunities you want. Please take a moment to imagine this. If instead of looking for contacts, you wake up in the morning, open your laptop and see amazing opportunities right in your inbox, in your LinkedIn DMs, people who have really cool projects and are connecting with you, that’s the goal here.
Why do so many interviews?
This is the reality we strive for. The official term for the entire approach is called Thought Leadership Networking. The idea is actually very simple, yet very powerful.
You stop telling people you’re an expert and start showing them in public. When you do this, the right opportunities will naturally find you. OK
So you might be thinking this sounds great, but how on earth do I do this? Well, it’s all about finding your stage. You need to find a platform, you know, a place where you can showcase your knowledge and skills to the right people. Look, you have a choice.
You don’t have to be some kind of celebrity to find a stage. Consider speaking on an industry panel or being a guest on a podcast in your field? Companies are always looking for experts to host webinars. Hey, even your own alumni network is a great place to share what you know.
Perhaps the best part of all this is that you don’t have to aim for the biggest stage right out of the gate. The advice is very clear. Start small, start local, find a local meetup group, maybe an internal webinar, your own company, or a small podcast you’re just starting.
Build your confidence, refine your message, and you can branch out to bigger areas. So what happens once you actually put yourself out there? Well, this is where the magic comes into play. Rewards start to appear, and over time they reinforce each other.
Recruiters know something you don’t: They won’t fill that many positions
This is where all the hard work really starts to pay off in a big way. The end goal, the whole point is to get to a place where you are seen as a key player in your field. So when someone in your industry has a problem or opportunity, your name is one of the first names that comes to their mind, and that’s definitely the best part of this whole strategy.
You can build an incredible reputation without having to market yourself. Your speaking engagements, your appearances on panels or podcasts, that’s publicity. It reflects your worth.
It’s not just talk. The network benefits that come from this are just crazy. First, it gives you a completely natural, authentic reason to connect with each participant.
organizers, other panelists, and even the audience. No more awkwardness like, hey, let’s connect messages. Secondly, and this is important, people start to know your name.
They recognize your voice. You’ve basically established a warm relationship before you even send an email. Okay, now let’s zoom out a little bit and look at the long-term game here.
Because it’s not just about finding your next job. It’s about building a powerful, sustainable engine for your entire career. This is called the visibility flywheel.
This is how the flywheel spins. Every time you share your expertise in public, you become more visible. This visibility will attract new and even better opportunities, perhaps a speaking engagement and a larger conference.
When you seize that opportunity, your visibility rises again, attracting bigger and better opportunities, and it’s this powerful, self-reinforcing cycle of success. You can really see how this compounds over time. The hard work you put in during your first year doesn’t go away.
No, it sets the stage for the second year and then gets you into the third year. Your career motivation can literally increase exponentially. If you’re thinking about the future, know that this strategy is basically future-proof.
As AI and search tools become smarter, they will be better able to find and recommend real experts. So the more visible you are, the more the technology itself will help amplify your voice. This is an investment that will pay off for many years.
All of this brings us to one last, very important question. This isn’t just some interesting theory. This is a real, actionable plan.
The only thing you need to figure out is where are you going to find your first stage?
I was interviewing for a job and noticed it had been reposted
About Big Game Hunter Jeff Altman
People hire “Big Game Hunter” Jeff Altman to provide no-nonsense career advice around the world because he makes so many things in people’s careers easier. Those ones Matters may involve job search, recruiting more effectively, managing and leading better, career transition, and advice on solving workplace problems.
He is the producer and former host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 job search podcast on iTunes with over 3,000 episodes.
How to thrive in your career if you have a disability
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