Who would you listen to? Someone talking about themselves, telling you all about their expertise and experience? Or an industry colleague telling you about someone that they worked with who wowed them with their knowledge and skilled approach to work?

It’s almost certain you chose the latter, and that’s because our trust in people talking about themselves has diminished. There are so many self-professed experts out there, so many AI tools to make a person sound better than they really are, that most people are skeptical about what they read in a CV.

Today social proof matters. One of the first things hiring manager do when they review a CV is to look up that person’s LinkedIn profile, next they’ll contact the references provided. This is why when working to build connections, they need to be authentic. How else will you be able to provide the social proof that recruiters are looking for if the connections you have don’t really know you or have never worked with you?

You may connect with someone of influence on LinkedIn, but that in itself won’t propel your career forward. You can certainly learn from their expertise and commentary, but you aren’t going to get any career opportunity recommendations from them.

A common mistake that many people make when networking, is to look to connect with people higher up, thinking primarily about what they have to gain from the connection. The problem is that few stop to think about what it’s like from the other person’s perspective.

It’s likely that they have worked hard to build their network and increase their industry profile. A more junior person has very little to offer in comparison to what they have to gain from leveraging an influential network. The way to change this is to give rather than expect to gain.

Think of it as a career progression internship, where the long-term rewards negate immediate benefits. For online connections, look for ways to enter the conversation. Research key topics and ask questions that can help them show their expertise. Think of ways to add value, such as sharing their posts with commentary or engaging in the comments.

For people in your workplace, look for opportunities to work with or under them, and be honest in your desire to learn from them. Most people are open to mentorship, especially if it comes without expectation. Remember that connections can help, but ultimately the best person to further your career progression is you. It’s up to you to build your connections.