Highly Effective Networking: Brittany Wilson Of Career Candor On 5 Strategies for Successful Networking, Both Online and Offline

An Interview With Athalia Monae

Athalia Monae
Authority Magazine
Published in
14 min readOct 24, 2024

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Be sustainable: As an introvert, networking exhausts me. I love meeting new people, hearing their stories, and seeing how we can help one another. I wish it charged me up, but it doesn’t. So, I take special notice to my energy levels when I’m networking. If I network too much, I’m not productive and I exhaust myself. If I network too little, I don’t enjoy my work as much and I feel isolated. So, I find a balance based on what’s going on with my life and how much I enjoy my time with that person.

The art of networking is pivotal in today’s interconnected world. Establishing meaningful connections can accelerate career growth, foster collaborations, and create opportunities that might otherwise remain hidden. Yet, the dynamics of networking are intricate, often requiring a nuanced blend of authenticity, strategy, and adaptability. And with the digital revolution, networking has transcended beyond face-to-face interactions to virtual platforms, expanding its scope and complexity. In this series, we would like to discuss the art and science behind effective networking. We are talking to seasoned professionals, career coaches, networking experts, and thought leaders who’ve mastered both traditional and online networking techniques. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Brittany Wilson.

Brittany Wilson, Founder of Career Candor, holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a Master’s in Organizational Development and Leadership. With nearly a decade of experience in human resources and learning and development across multiple industries, she excels in topics related to career development and workplace culture. Drawing from a rich background in small business consulting, real estate, technology, and manufacturing, Brittany is set to share how networking can be a transformational tool in a career journey.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about networking, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?

I grew up in a household where work was constant. My mother was a single parent and she worked two or three jobs at any one time and she always came home exhausted. I knew she didn’t enjoy any of those jobs, and I thought to myself, “There has to be a better way of working. There have to be people out there who enjoy their job, and there has to be a way to help people enjoy work.” That’s what set me on my path.

So, I had a career in HR and learning and development in small and Fortune 500 companies. In these roles, I’ve helped people develop in their careers, reach their goals, and transform workplaces to build and maintain learning cultures. In my career, I’ve developed some of the best relationships. Now, I’ve branched out to create my own company where I essentially, I help people enjoy their work a little more than they did before.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

In 2023 I was laid off during the big tech layoffs. I loved my job. I was learning every day, I was doing something different, and I enjoyed the people I worked with. So, when I was laid off it really hurt. I found myself in a very dark place and I felt very alone. It was hard having my whole identity connected to who I was at work and how I was helping other people at work, only for me not to have work at all.

After I was laid off, I had some clients and co-workers encouraging me to use this as an opportunity to launch my business full time. It meant the world to me that they believed in me, but I didn’t listen to them. I was too afraid to go into business for myself full time. I didn’t think I had enough experience; I didn’t think I had enough money, and I wasn’t confident in my own skills. So, I went back to work in corporate.

The entire time I was there, I kept thinking about the advice from my co-workers, friends, and clients. I kept thinking, “If they believed in me, shouldn’t I believe in myself? So, I saved up my money, did some pro bono work, and ultimately gave my notice and launched my business.

I would have never thought I could be an entrepreneur if it weren’t for the amazing people I am surrounded by. Especially watching my mom growing up, I thought living the corporate life was success. But when I was laid off, I realized corporate work is not the only definition of success and it is not the only path to financial stability. Now here I am living all the contradictions that I would have never anticipated for myself earlier in my life, all thanks to the relationships I’ve built.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Relationship building: I am here, today, because of all the people in my life; any of my successes can be attributed to those who have supported me along the way. I have developed some great relationships with friends, coworkers and mentors. I have learned everything — good and bad — from them. These people have taught me self-reflection, patience, forgiveness, and confidence. If it weren’t for all of these people, I would not be in business today, and I certainly would not be here speaking with you today. So, spend time building relationships. You never know where it can take you.

Agility: I always defined financial stability as working at a company making a regular paycheck. That’s what my mom did after all. But in 2023, I was laid off from my job. I had never thought it would happen to me. I worked hard, I worked long hours, and I enjoyed what I did, but it still happened. I eventually went back into corporate work, started saving up my money and started doing some pro bono services until I felt comfortable enough to launch my business. It’s an incredibly terrifying, but exhilarating experience to go from the corporate world, to go from working multiple jobs at one time, to ultimately working for yourself. And I would never think that I would be thankful for being laid off, but now I really am.

Perseverance: I am nothing if not perseverant. And when you’re unrelentingly persistent, you enter unexplored territories. You go to places where you have never been, and that’s where you discover the worst versions of yourself and the best versions of yourself. When I was laid off during the big tech playoffs, I was in a dark place, and I didn’t know many people who were laid off. Plus, it was very difficult to find work. But I persevered by expanding the scope of roles that I was interested in, talking about the taboo topics of being laid off, and being very clear in what I wanted as end goal. Because I persevered, I landed a job and because of that job, I now own my own business.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Let’s begin with a basic definition so that we are all on the same page. How exactly do you define “Networking?” Is it just about meeting new people?

Networking isn’t the ugly term that many people thing it is. In its essence, networking is building relationships; it’s making friends. It’s not about transactions, trading favors, or using people. It’s simply about building and maintaining relationships with people who you want around you.

In today’s digital age, how important is face-to-face networking, and how do you balance it with online networking?

Face-to-face networking is unmatched. It is truly the best way to network, but I don’t do face-to-face networking all the time. As an introvert, networking is exhausting. I enjoy networking, I love meeting new people, but it’s still a draining activity for me. So, I network face-to-face when I can. If I’m meeting someone for the first time, I try to meet them in person. But, if I am feeling exhausted, or I know that my day will be packed, I choose to network virtually. It gives me the safety of meeting someone from the comfort of my own home, in my sweatpants, and I can retreat to the couch for a breath when I’m done the meeting.

How do you maintain and nurture professional relationships over time, both in person and online, to ensure they remain fruitful and mutually beneficial?

Cadance is key. I don’t ever expect people to know me or remember me after one meeting. So, if I enjoyed talking with someone, or I think there’s a way we can help each other in the future, I’ll set up a series of recurring meetings with them or I’ll at least set up one follow-up meeting. In all transparency, my networking meetings are mostly informal conversations. I’ll ask them about their weekend, their hobbies, their family, what’s new, and more. Before I know it, the meeting is almost over, but I enjoy doing that. I enjoy getting to know the person inside and out.

If I ever meet with someone and we just don’t click, or I don’t think there’s a way we can help each other moving forward, then I don’t follow-up with them. I can’t build relationships with everyone, so I pick and choose. And, if there’s ever a time where a relationship doesn’t feel right anymore, or it’s not beneficial anymore, then I’ll politely ask if we should end our meeting series or if we could reduce frequency we meet. Relationships change overtime, so I stay flexible.

Networking doesn’t have to be just meetings, though. It can also be soft touch points, like text messages, emails, or even sharing memes. If I see something that makes me think of someone, I’m going to message them. Just last week, I saw a video online about chickens. My mentor owns chickens, so I sent the video to her and said, “I thought of you!” Doing something simple and quick like this is also networking because you are building a relationship, thinking about someone, and letting them know that they have a space in your mind.

How important is personal branding when it comes to successful networking, and how can individuals develop and maintain a strong personal brand both online and in person?

Personal branding is extremely important. When people meet me, they don’t want to know, “What does Brittany do?” They want to know, “How can Brittany help me or my loved ones?” If you can answer that, you’ve got a personal brand. If you can’t answer that, take a step back and think about your values. What do you value in life? How do you live by your values? Your values are also part of your personal brand, and if you can communicate your values, you can connect with someone who shares those values.

Once you know your values and how you can help people, it’s important to keep a constant and solid personal brand online and in person. Remember, it’s not likely that people will remember everything about you in the first meeting. Instead, you need to constantly remind them. I choose to have brand pillars; they are topics that I will constantly talk about. For example, my brand pillars are career development and workplace culture. If I’m in a one-on-one meeting, at a networking event, or on social media, I’m talking about one of those 3 topics. Sometimes, I feel like I’m repeating myself and I worry people are sick of hearing from me, but it’s during those times that I notice people’s attention. They might not see or hear me the first time, but the fifth, sixth, and seventh time, they’re attentive and they know my brand and they can explain who I am to other people in their network.

What is your advice for young professionals who are just starting to build their network? How can they effectively reach out to and connect with experienced leaders in their field?

When I was starting out in my career, I was extremely curious. I never knew someone who worked in corporate, so I worked hard to understand it. I wanted to know the different careers, I wanted to learn from people’s career paths, and I wanted to learn from their lessons. So, I set up informational interviews with people who interested me. I would schedule some time with them, ask them about their career path, how they got to where they are, what they like and don’t like about work, and if they had any advice for me. By doing this, I quickly realized I loved topics in career development and workplace culture. One of these informational interviews even led to a job offer! Another even inspired me to think about entrepreneurship. This may sound terrifying, but experienced leaders are excited to share their story and help a new leader in their field. So, when in doubt, send that email, submit that LinkedIn request, or ask to grab coffee; it may just change your career for the better.

Do you prioritize quality or quantity of connections? How do you determine when to invest more time in a particular relationship?

To put frankly, I go with the vibe. I ask myself, “How much do I enjoy this person’s company?” The answer to that question helps me determine how often I connect with them and what we talk about. There are some people I stay connected to just because we have developed a friendship, so when we meet, we almost never talk about work. There are other people who I enjoy talking to, but I know we don’t have enough to talk about every month, so I’ll make those meetings once every few months. If I don’t enjoy a relationship and we don’t get anything out of the relationship, then I scale back. The beauty of this methodology is it flexes with the people, too. If I’m going through a stressful time, I can cancel or reschedule my meeting with them. If something comes up, I can call, text, or email them. If our relationship doesn’t seem beneficial anymore, we can reduce the number of times we meet or end them all together.

What are your “5 Strategies for Successful Networking, Both Online and Offline”? If you can, please share a story or an example for each.

1 . Prioritize relationships: Building relationships is the best way to succeed in your career and in business. When you build relationships with people, you build trust. When I was an intern, I did a series of informational interviews to figure out what type of full-time job I wanted. My manager introduced me to another manager, so I set up a 30-minute informational interview with her, she was the head of career development. I loved the work she was doing and I genuinely enjoyed my time with her. I knew instantly I wanted to work with her and her team, but she was honest about the outlook. “Brittany, I think you’d be a great fit on the team, but I don’t have any openings now, and I don’t expect any openings for at least a year. But let’s stay in touch.” So, I scheduled another meeting with her a few months later where we talked about her travels and love of hiking, just a genuinely friendly conversation. A few months later, a job opened up in her team, and she reached out asking me to apply. I got the role, and now, many years later, we are friends.

2 . Be sustainable: As an introvert, networking exhausts me. I love meeting new people, hearing their stories, and seeing how we can help one another. I wish it charged me up, but it doesn’t. So, I take special notice to my energy levels when I’m networking. If I network too much, I’m not productive and I exhaust myself. If I network too little, I don’t enjoy my work as much and I feel isolated. So, I find a balance based on what’s going on with my life and how much I enjoy my time with that person.

3 . Be flexible: I’m also flexible with my networking. Remember, networking is about building relationships, and relationships take time, energy, and flexibility. Sure, I may have a call scheduled every two weeks with my friend, but if I need to, I’m going to postpone or cancel it. When you build good relationships with people, flexibility comes. When I was laid off from work, I started networking multiple times a day. After a week, I was exhausted. I had several meetings to go, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to maintain the speed and quality. So, I was honest and asked each person if we could move it or change it. In its place, I rested and recovered. I also sent texts or messages letting them know I was thinking of them, just to maintain the relationship.

4 . Embed small contacts: Networking doesn’t have to be face-to-face meetings or virtual connects. It’s simply about building relationships, and I know I don’t build relationships with just calls. Instead, I use small contacts to help me build and maintain my relationships. I’ve sent a text, wishing someone well on their first day of work. I’ve messaged them happy birthday. I’ve sent them a picture of us from a photo album. I’ve sent a meme on social media that reminded me of them. I’ve sent them a link to an article I though they’d enjoy. All of these small contacts took seconds out of my day, but made mountains in maintaining a relationship.

5 . Be intentional: When you are networking, be conscious that you are occupying someone’s time. So, when you meet with them or talk to them, bring value. Come prepared with questions or talking points. I once had a mentor who I was just getting to know. She gave me homework for our meeting, and I did not finish it. When we met, I admitted that I didn’t do the whole assignment, and she looked visibly disappointed, and a little annoyed. She had planned her time with me around my homework results, and was invested in me. But, by not doing my homework, I was showing that I wasn’t invested in myself and her time. You don’t need to do homework every time you meet with someone, but at least have something in your back pocket to ask or discuss, in case you need it. Dull air and wasted time won’t build a relationship.

What role does diversity and inclusion play in your networking approach? How do you ensure that your network is inclusive and represents a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds?

I learn from the people around me, so it’s important I have diversity of background, education, and thought surrounding me. If I keep the same type of people around me, I’m missing out on trillions of lessons and perspectives. I regularly check myself by asking, “What am I afraid to learn about? What makes me nervous?” As humans, we’re afraid of the unknown, and the unknown is usually very different from us. So, by asking myself this question, I usually find and learn from people who are very different from me.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I would focus on company culture, and helping people discuss and find the company culture that fits them. I know this sounds very nerdy, but we all have to work, and work impacts our mental health every day. When we work at a place that doesn’t align with our values, it can become taxing. If we could talk more about company culture, the types, and what makes someone “fit” in a culture, then a lot more people would be happier at work.

How can our readers further follow you online?

LinkedIn

My weekly newsletter

Instagram

Tiktok

Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

About the Interviewer: Athalia Monae is a product creator, published author, entrepreneur, advocate for Feed Our Starving Children, contributing writer for Entrepreneur Media, and founder of Pouches By Alahta.

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Authority Magazine
Authority Magazine

Published in Authority Magazine

In-depth Interviews with Authorities in Business, Pop Culture, Wellness, Social Impact, and Tech. We use interviews to draw out stories that are both empowering and actionable.

Athalia Monae
Athalia Monae

Written by Athalia Monae

Product creator, author, entrepreneur, Feed Our Starving Children advocate, Writer for Entrepreneur Media, & founder of Pouches By Alahta.

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