New Year, New Opportunity to Reconnect with Your Network

One of the best ways to invest in your personal and professional relationships is to stay in touch! And what better time to reconnect with the people in your network than at the start of a new year. By sending a personal update message to people in your network, you can keep building upon your connections and solicit support and assistance for your future goals.

Photo from Canva.com

Check out these tips for the How, When Who, and What around doing this well. Then, use our sample LinkedIn Post and Email Message as a guide to send your own message update to your connections.

How to Stay in Touch with Your Network:

  • LinkedIn Post
  • Email Message
  • Social Media Post
  • Holiday Card

When to Send Outreach Messages to Your Network:

  • Endings/Beginnings (seasonal updates, academic semesters, new year, leaving a job, starting a new job)
  • Decision Points (going back to graduate school, making a career pivot, re-entering the workforce after a break)
  • Consider what’s coming up for you and the type of help, support, or connection you might need from your network

Who to Send Messages to in Your Network:

  • Friends and family
  • Neighbors
  • Parents of your friends (if you know them fairly well)
  • Past professors from college
  • Past and present mentors
  • Current or past job colleagues and supervisors
  • Community connections (from volunteer gigs, your church, etc.)

What to Include in Your Message:

  • Why you’re sending it (end of the year, decision point, starting a new adventure)
  • Personal update with high-level overview of personal and professional notes
  • Future-oriented overview – “here’s what I’m planning for next”
  • Request for connection, information, opportunities as needed and express the desire to stay in touch

Sample LinkedIn Post (to your feed of connections):

Happy New Year to all of my LinkedIn connections near and far! I wanted to use the start of the new academic semester in my graduate program to provide a quick personal update.

Currently, I’m wrapping up the final semester in my Master’s of Education program at XYZ University as well as completing my student teaching assignment at a local elementary school in the 1st grade. It has been a fun year!

As I prepare for my next steps following graduation from my master’s program, I’m applying for teaching jobs in North Carolina, preferably in the Charlotte area, in public elementary schools. I’m excited to bring the following new skills to a teaching role:

  • List skills/certifications
  • List skills/certifications

If you currently work in education sector in the Charlotte, NC area – or know someone who does – and are willing to connect, please let me know. I’d welcome the opportunity to learn from your experience.

Thank you to so many of my personal and professional connections on LinkedIn who have been supportive and encouraging in my graduate school journey. I’m grateful for all of you. Wishing you a great start to the year!

Sample Email Message to Personal/Professional Connections:

Happy Holidays!

As I wrap up my first year at Deloitte as a Human Capital Consultant, I wanted to provide a brief update as a point of connection with each of you. If you’re receiving this email, please know it’s because I value your support and encouragement and would appreciate staying in touch in the year ahead.

Here are a few highlights from the past six months:

  • I worked on XYZ project/assignment and here was the result.
  • I enjoyed traveling to XYZ locations for both work and enjoyment.
  • I completed XYZ course, leadership program, professional development to enhance my skill set.
  • Any other high-level updates.

My main goal for new year is to continue to explore my interests in XYZ area of business/consulting. If you have any advice, connection points, or suggestions as I seek to learn more about this expertise area, please let me know. I welcome any chance to have conversations and learn more as I think about my next career steps and develop professionally in the year ahead.

That was a lot about me, but I’d also enjoy knowing how you’re doing and what you have planned for the year ahead! Let’s stay in touch.

All the best,

Your Name

Recent Posts

Archives