Networking
Action Plan

CAREER & PROFESSIONAL TOOLS

Five key contacts, a clear purpose for each connection,
and a follow-up schedule you'll actually use.

Making Networking Concrete

Most professionals know that relationships drive career momentum. Most also find it difficult to be systematic about building them. The gap between knowing networking matters and acting on it consistently is rarely about time - it's about discomfort with reaching out when there's no immediate transaction to offer, and lack of clarity about who to reach out to and why.

This worksheet makes the abstract concrete: five specific people, a clear purpose for each connection, a method and timeline for reaching out, and a follow-up schedule that keeps the momentum going after the first contact.

The "purpose of connection" column is where most people discover they've been too vague. "Keep in touch" is not a purpose. "Understand what's driving hiring decisions in their division over the next 18 months" is. Purpose specificity changes both the quality of the conversation and the likelihood that it happens.

The reflection section surfaces what's actually getting in the way. Most networking stalls not because of logistics but because of unstated reservations about reaching out. Naming those reservations tends to reduce their hold.

How to Use This Planner

  1. Identify five people - not the five easiest, and not the five most senior. The most useful connections are the ones where mutual value is most plausible.
  2. For each contact, write a specific purpose. What do you want to learn, offer, or explore through this connection?
  3. Choose a concrete outreach method for each (email, LinkedIn message, phone call, introduction request through a mutual contact) and set a realistic target date.
  4. Build the follow-up schedule before you start reaching out. Decide now when you'll check in again after the initial contact.
  5. Complete the reflection section honestly. What you write there will likely be more useful to your coaching session than the table itself.
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Contact Tracker

5 Key Contacts to Connect With

Name Organization Purpose of Connection Outreach Method Target Date

Networking Goals - Next 90 Days

What do I want to achieve through these connections?

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Follow-Up & Reflection

Follow-Up Schedule

For each contact, note when you'll follow up after the initial outreach:

Contact 1 - Follow up by:
Contact 2 - Follow up by:
Contact 3 - Follow up by:
Contact 4 - Follow up by:
Contact 5 - Follow up by:

Reflection

What feels most uncomfortable about reaching out? Be specific.

What would make outreach feel more natural or purposeful?

What would become possible professionally if your network were stronger?

Before Your Next Session

Which contact on your list would have the highest value if the connection went well? What's stopping you from reaching out this week?

Look at your "purpose of connection" column. Where did you write something vague? Rewrite it as a specific question you'd want answered.

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Tandem Coaching Partners

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to unlock sustainable growth.

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