Networking Tips That Advance Your ID Career

What if networking could feel calm, kind, and effective—without the awkward pitch? We walk through five connection moves that help instructional designers and educators build real relationships: a mindset reframe, tiny weekly actions, breadcrumb visibility, simple follow-ups, and a growth circle powered by mentors and peers. The result is a practical, repeatable system that turns small moments into long-term opportunities.

To make it actionable, we close with the Three Connections Challenge: one thoughtful comment, one genuine message, and one reconnection this week. Grab the free interactive flip card toolkit and the recommended networking guide linked in the show notes to keep the habit going. If this approach helps, subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review—then tell us your small win so we can celebrate with you.

🔗 Episode Links:

Please check out the resources mentioned in the episode. Enjoy!

5 Connection Moves Toolkit: Use this interactive toolkit to pick a move that you can try this week.

Networking Resource (Bottom Line): A practical guide to networking basics, why it matters, and how to start—plus LinkedIn and informational interviewing tools. 

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome & Episode Focus
• 0:48 Reframing Networking As Relationships
• 2:15 Tiny Actions Beat Big Gestures
• 3:57 Leave Breadcrumbs For Visibility
• 5:17 Follow Up To Build Momentum
• 6:25 Growth Through Mentors & Community
• 8:09 A Real-Life Networking Flow
• 9:23 The Three Connections Challenge
• 10:04 Resources & Closing Encouragement

Transcript

Jackie Pelegrin: 0:00

Hello, and welcome to the Designing with Love Podcast. I am your host, Jackie Pelegrin, where my goal is to bring you information, tips, and tricks as an instructional designer. Hello, instructional designers and educators. Welcome to episode 101 of the Designing with Love Podcast. In this episode, I'll provide some tips to help you discover smart, low-stress ways to build connections that can genuinely move your career forward. So, grab your notebook, a cup of coffee, and settle in as we explore this topic together. Today I'm breaking this down into five connection moves you can try this week to build real relationships and grow professionally. Let's start with the biggest shift of all, because once your mindset changes, everything else feels easier. Connection move one is all about reframing networking so it feels human, not like you're selling something. Here's the reframe. Networking isn't collecting contacts, it's building relationships over time. And relationships are created through small moments, shared interests, helpful conversations, genuine encouragement, and mutual respect. A good mental model is this. Instead of asking, what can I get from this person? Try asking, what can I learn from this person? Or how can I support them, even in a small way? Because when you approach networking with curiosity and generosity, it stops feeling like self-promotion and starts feeling like community. Here's a quick reflection prompt you can try. If networking makes you feel uncomfortable, ask yourself, what definition of networking am I carrying around? If it's asking for favors, of course it feels stressful. But if it's building relationships, it becomes a lot more natural. And once you stop thinking of networking as a big performance, the next question becomes, okay, what do I actually do without it taking over my life? This is where we keep things realistic. Connection move two is about tiny, repeatable actions because consistency beats intensity every single time. A lot of people think networking has to look like conferences, big events, or awkward cold messages. But honestly, the most effective networking usually happens in small micro moments. Here are a few low stress ways to do that. Option one, leave meaningful comments on LinkedIn or inside professional groups. Not just great post, but something specific, such as, I love how you frame this. I've noticed something similar when working with SMEs, especially when timelines are tight. Option two, send a short message to someone whose work you admire. One example can be, I really appreciated your post about learner engagement. I'm working on something similar. Thank you for sharing that. Option three, reconnect with someone you already know, a former coworker, classmate, mentor, or professor. You could say something like, hey, I saw this and thought of you. Hope you're doing well. How have things been going? And here's a key tip. If this feels overwhelming, set a tiny weekly goal. Something like two thoughtful comments, one message, one follow-up. That's it. That's networking. Now here's the thing. As you start reaching out in small ways, you'll also want to make it easier for people to understand what you do and what you're interested in. Connection move three is what I call leaving breadcrumbs. Little signals that help the right people find you, remember you, and think of you when opportunities pop up. Because here's the truth: people can't refer you if they don't know what you do. This doesn't mean you need to post every day or become an influencer. It just means creating a few simple visibility points that communicate what you're learning, what you're building, and what you're interested in. Some examples of value breadcrumbs can include a short post sharing a lessons learned from a project, a simple portfolio update, a template or checklist you created, a quick reflection like here's what I'm noticing about onboarding lately. If posting feels hard, try using this formula. One insight plus one example plus one question. Insight, what you learned, example, where you saw it, question, invite others in. Even a once-a-month post can help the right people remember you. But even with great visibility, connection can still fizzle if we don't nurture it. So the next move is where you turn a moment into momentum. Connection move four is the follow-up. Because that's where a quick chat becomes a real relationship. And don't worry, I'm keeping this simple and low pressure. A follow-up doesn't have to be long. It doesn't have to be formal. It just needs to be intentional. Here are a few easy follow-up options you can try. Option one, after a conversation or comment exchange. I really enjoyed our conversation. Thanks again. Your perspective helped me think differently. Option two, if they shared a resource. I checked out the article you recommended. So helpful. Thank you. Option three, if you want to stay connected without pressure. If you ever want to swap ideas again, I'm always up for a quick chat. And if you want a simple system, keep a quick networking notes list. Just a note on who you spoke with, where you met, one detail you want to remember, and a next step. Because the magic isn't just meeting people. The magic is staying in touch. Once you have a few warm connections, the real magic is building a circle that supports your growth long term, not just for your next job, but for your next level. Connection move five is about professional growth through community, finding mentors, peers, and adjacent experts who help you sharpen your skills and stretch in the best way. A lot of people assume mentorship has to be formal. It doesn't. One of the best approaches is finding what I call adjacent mentors. People who are one or two steps ahead of you. They still remember what it feels like to be where you are, and their advice is often practical and current. Here are a few growth circle strategies you can try. Strategy one, ask for a 15-minute informational chat. I'd love to learn how you got into your current role. Would you be open to a quick 15-minute conversation? Strategy two, join one or two communities and show up consistently. Don't join 10. Choose one or two where you can actually engage. Strategy three, offer value as you grow. Encouragement counts. Sharing a resource counts. Making an introduction counts. Your network isn't just about opportunities. It's about support, perspective, and becoming more confident in your craft. And when you put these five connection moves together, you'll start to notice something powerful. Opportunities tend to show up when relationships are already in motion. Let me share a quick real-life example of what that can look like. Let's say you're scrolling LinkedIn and someone in the instructional design space posts about a common challenge, maybe stakeholder pushback, tight timelines, or a tricky SME relationship. Instead of just liking the post, you leave a thoughtful comment, something specific. Maybe you share a strategy that worked for you, or you ask a genuine question. The person replies. The conversation continues in the comments. A day or two later, you send a quick message like, hey, I really enjoyed that conversation. Thanks for engaging. If you ever want to compare notes, I'd be happy to chat sometime. You hop on a short 15-minute call. No pressure, no pitch, just a real conversation. Then a few weeks later, that person sees a project opportunity, hears someone mention a role, or joins a conversation where your skill set fits, and you come to mind. Not because you asked for something, but because you showed up thoughtfully, you followed up, and you built a small connection that had room to grow. That's how networking often works. It's not instant, it's layered. Alright, here's your simple challenge for this week. I call it the Three Connections Challenge, and it's intentionally low stress. Connection one, comment thoughtfully to one post in your field. Connection two, message one person you admire with a genuine note, appreciation, or a simple question. Connection three, reconnect with one person you already know, a former coworker, classmate, or mentor, just to check in. And if you do this challenge, I'd love to hear about it. Share a quick win, big or small, because connection wins deserve to be celebrated. Also, if you want something you can actually use after this episode, I created a free interactive flip card toolkit with all five connection moves. Each card has the key idea and a try this. It's linked in the show notes for you. And I'm also linking a really helpful networking resource from bottom line in the show notes. It walks through what networking is, why it matters, and includes practical tools like LinkedIn tips and informational interviewing to help you get started. So between the five connection moves and those resources, you've got a simple plan you can come back to anytime. As we wrap up, remember, networking doesn't have to be loud, awkward, or exhausting. The goal isn't to meet everyone. The goal is to build a few meaningful relationships that grow with you over time. Start small, show up consistently, leave a few breadcrumbs, follow up with care. And trust that tiny moments, one comment, one message, one conversation, can create momentum you can't always predict in the moment. Before I close, here's an inspiring quote from Maya Angelou. People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. So as you build your network, focus less on being impressive and more on being genuine. Thanks for tuning in, and until next time, keep designing with love. Thank you for taking some time to listen to this podcast episode today. Your support means the world to me. If you'd like to help keep the podcast going, you can share it with a friend or colleague, leave a heartfelt review, or offer a monetary contribution. Every act of support, big or small, makes a difference, and I'm truly thankful for you.