Think Like A Gardener

On this episode, I talk about something that comes up all the time in my coaching sessions with MBA students—and that’s networking. I've talked about it before on the podcast on episode 1202 "Reframe the way you think about networking and asking for help" I'll drop a link in the show notes.  I encourage you to go back and give that one a listen.

 

As generative AI has proliferated on both sides of the job search with candidates using it to submit more and more customized applications, and recruiters using it to filter through piles of hundreds or thousands of applicants, relationships are once again increasingly important in learning about opportunities before they are public, and securing interview invites.

 

So many job seekers have what I call the hunter/gatherer mindset in their job search: they scour job boards for opportunities, and submit applications.  I would encourage anyone in an active job search -- or anyone who thinks they might be in an active job search in the next 6 to 18 months, to adopt what I call the gardener mindset.

 

Let’s dig in. (no pun intended)

 

If you’re like many MBA students—or honestly, professionals at any stage—you may have a complicated relationship with networking.

You know you’re supposed to do it. You’ve heard it's important.

But maybe it feels awkward. Transactional. A little sleezy even. I picture Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho with his heavy-bond embossed business card.

 

Maybe you don’t want to “bother” people. Or maybe you're waiting until you have a clear goal or ask before reaching out.

I get it. That hesitation is totally normal.

But here’s the thing—networking is not a one-time transaction. It’s not about reaching out only when you need something. It’s not just about collecting contacts on linkedin like pokemon cards.

Networking—effective, sustainable, authentic networking—is about building relationships over time.

That’s where the gardener mindset comes in.

 

Imagine you're a gardener.

You don’t just toss seeds into the dirt one day and expect to harvest a salad the next.

 

You prepare the soil. You plant a variety of seeds. You water them. You protect them from frost. You wait. You come back to check on them. Sometimes they sprout. Sometimes they don’t. Different plants mature on different schedules. Some may require years before you are ready to harvest anything.

 

The same is true for relationships in your professional life.

When you meet someone at an event, or reach out for a coffee chat—you’re planting a seed. Having that conversation is watering it.

Following up with an authentic note is watering it.

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