Who Should Be in the Room? How to Identify the Right People for Your Career Goals

External Networking - Blog 3 of 6

I wanted to connect with Limeade located across the street from the Expedia office in Bellevue, Washington, US.  Isabelle, an Expedia colleague in Luxembourg, was connected to Heather, a Limeade executive.  I asked Isabelle to introduce me to Heather, and she happily obliged.  I crossed continents to meet a person located across the street.  

To build a productive network, you need to identify companies and contacts that align with your objective.

Adding to your network is an ongoing process. DO NOT use this step to procrastinate on having the actual meetings. Meet with close contacts while you build your connections.

1. Identify companies

I leveraged publicly available sources to compile my initial list of companies. Since I was focused on startup tech companies in the Puget Sound area, I used the Geekwire 200, Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and Deloitte Fast 500 lists to start. I narrowed down the lists based on my interest or experience with the product, location, and funding level.

Now, you can generate a list much easier with AI enabled search.

2. Update LinkedIn connections

At this point, I had a two decade long career in management consulting at Andersen, Hitachi and Ernst & Young and led functional teams at Expedia.  I worked with consulting clients across multiple industries - healthcare, energy/utilities, financial services and technology - all over the US.  At Expedia, I led functions that supported global brands and often travelled to offices across the globe.  I had an extensive network of contacts and needed my LinkedIn connections to reflect that.

3. Request introductions

Ask your LinkedIn connections to introduce you to contacts at your desired companies.  These contacts may not even be in the functional area where you want to work.  That is ok.  It may take two to three connections to meet a hiring manager in your functional area.  You just need an entry point into the company.

You may also connect with trusted advisors to the company, such as business advisors (lawyers, auditors and bankers), investors, and board members. Advisors often have extensive networks and making connections is a major part of what they do.

Avvo was on my list of companies.  I had a former colleague in their marketing department and asked her to meet.  We discussed my objectives and why I was interested in Avvo.  She offered to give my resume to the CFO, but warned me that the Finance team was fully staffed.  I met with the CFO with the sole expectation of introducing myself and hoping that she could connect me with other hiring managers.  She was actually contemplating hiring a Controller for her team and invited me to interview.  I got the job!  This role was the catalyst for my tech startup career.

Note:  The former colleague in marketing crossed paths with me a couple of times at Expedia.  We may have attended a few of the same meetings but did not have significant interactions.  She knew my name and face.  That’s it!  In general, I found that people are happy to help and incredibly supportive.  All of us at some point in our lives have needed support.

Tip:  If a connection offers to introduce you via email, make it very easy for them.  Send a separate email that they can easily forward to your desired contact.  The email should include:

• Subject line:  Introduction to <your name> and <contact name> at <company name>

• Body:  Include the reason why you want an introduction to the contact, your LinkedIn profile, and brief bio.

Here is an example of my general bio. I’ll modify it for the job description.

Cecilia Cayetano (LinkedIn) partners with CEOs of high-growth SaaS businesses to develop strategy, strengthen execution, and accelerate what comes next—whether that’s scaling ARR, raising capital, or navigating an exit.

Cecilia has consistently driven measurable results, including accelerating top-line growth, implementing automated financial systems, building budgeting and forecasting frameworks, and establishing the operational discipline needed for scale. Cecilia has also cofounded and scaled a SaaS business from early stage to rapid ARR expansion and global team growth.

Earlier in her career, Cecilia led strategic initiatives at a Fortune 500 tech company and advised companies as a management consultant giving her the ability to diagnose complex problems quickly and execute with precision.

Cecilia thrives in partnering with CEOs who want a builder at their side—someone who can align teams, operationalize strategy, and drive the business forward.