Having a strong professional network may be more important than ever in a tough job market.
U.S. job applicants with an inside connection at a company, defined as a first-degree connection working there, are nearly seven times more likely to be hired than those without one, according to a LinkedIn analysis of 5 million members across multiple countries.
But having a network and effectively tapping into it aren't the same thing. In fact, many professionals could stand to be a little more strategic when reaching out to people with an ask, says Catherine Fisher, vice president of communications and career expert at LinkedIn.
"That first step of reaching out to someone is being really specific about what you're asking for," Fisher tells CNBC Make It. "The more specificity you can give, the better."
When you ask for an informational interview, for example, you should explain what you're looking to get out of a conversation and what you can offer in exchange. You might offer to take them out to coffee and say you have three questions you want to ask them. Given people's busy schedules, you might also make your requests time-bound by, say, asking for 15 minutes of someone's time.
Specificity helps people know just what they'd be agreeing to, and demonstrating that you have a game plan shows you've done your homework and are respectful of their time.
"You don't want to put a lot of the work on the person," Fisher says.
And if the person doesn't feel they're the right fit to help you, extra information might help them introduce you to someone else who can, Fisher adds.
Fisher says someone reached out to her recently to ask if she could spare 15 minutes to talk about a few ways Fisher might get involved with the person's charity. The specificity of the request made the decision easy: "I can spare 15 minutes, I know what she wants to talk about, and that's it," Fisher says.
While you can build relationships through these types of meetings, networking can also be much simpler.
It's "a spectrum," Fisher says: Some actions you can take to build and sustain your network are as easy as commenting on someone's post or sending someone a quick text to say you're thinking of them and want to check in on how they're doing.
Many people have a larger network than they may realize. Recent college graduates, for example, may worry they don't have many connections because their work experience is limited. But everyone from college advisors and professors to peers and even families they've babysat for can constitute a network, Fisher says.
Your social networks, not just your professional ones, can also aid in your job search, Bonnie Dilber, a recruiting leader at the software company Zapier, previously told CNBC Make It. A neighborhood Facebook group, your workout buddies, or acquaintances and friends can help keep an eye out for opportunities you might be a fit for.
"People should get out of the traditionally professional spaces and go get in spaces where they have some connection with people," Dilber says.
From these kinds of "inner circles," Fisher says, you can build "concentric circles" of your network, say, in asking a mutual connection for an introduction to someone at a company you're applying to.
"If you've been at it, applying, applying, applying," she says, "that network is going to help bridge some of those gaps."