Leveraging Weak Ties and Unlikely Opportunities: The Hidden Power of Your Network

Why Your Next CPG Role Might Come from Someone You Barely Remember

When she first reached out, one of my clients told me she felt "stuck in a loop."

Same messages. Same people. Same lack of movement.

She'd been leaning hard on her inner circle — her former teammates, her go-to mentors, the people she talked to every week. They were supportive. They were trying to help. But nothing was actually happening.

"I feel like I'm having the same conversation over and over," she told me. "Everyone wants to help, but no one actually can."

That's when I asked her a question that changed everything: "Who haven't you talked to in five years who would still remember your work?"

The Problem with Your Inner Circle

Here's what nobody tells you about job searching: Your closest contacts might be your biggest limitation.

Not because they don't care. They care deeply. But they're swimming in the same pond you are. They know the same people. They hear about the same opportunities. They move in the same circles.

When you need a breakthrough, you don't need another conversation with someone who already knows everything about your search. You need fresh perspective from someone who knows you, but sees a different landscape.

The Science of Weak Ties

Sociologist Mark Granovetter discovered something counterintuitive in his landmark study: 70% of people found their jobs through weak ties — not close friends.

Why? Because weak ties bridge different worlds.

Your former colleague from your first CPG role? They're now at a completely different company, in a different network, hearing about different opportunities. They remember your work ethic from when you were both junior brand assistants, but they're not saturated with your current job search story.

They see you with fresh eyes. And more importantly, they can introduce you to entirely new ecosystems.

The Reconnection That Changed Everything

My client made a list of people she'd worked with in her first three years out of college. People who'd seen her hustle on that impossible Walmart launch. Who remembered when she saved that product line with a last-minute pivot. Who knew her before titles and politics complicated everything.

She found one name that made her pause: Her first manager's peer from a cross-functional team. They'd worked on one project together eight years ago. He'd moved to a different company, then another, and was now a VP at a natural foods company.

Her message was simple:

"Hi David — I was thinking about that nightmare product launch we survived back at [Company] and realized it's been far too long. I've followed your move to [Current Company] and have been impressed by your expansion into mainstream retail. Would love to catch up over a quick coffee if you're open to it. I'm exploring my next move in CPG and would value your perspective on how the industry has evolved."

Twenty minutes into their coffee chat, he said something that changed her trajectory: "Actually, we're about to create a role that sounds perfect for you. It's not posted yet, but let me introduce you to our CMO."

Two weeks later, she had an offer.

Why Weak Ties Work

1. They're Not Exhausted by Your Search

Your close contacts have heard every update, every frustration, every near-miss. They want to help but they're running out of ideas. Weak ties come to the conversation fresh, energized, and often with immediate connections.

2. They Remember a Different Version of You

They remember your raw talent before you got pigeonholed. They remember your energy before the last role wore you down. They see possibilities your current network might have forgotten.

3. They Bridge to New Networks

Every weak tie is a bridge to an entirely different professional ecosystem. One reconnection doesn't just add one person to your network — it potentially adds hundreds.

4. They Have Nothing to Lose

They're not worried about giving you bad advice or recommending you for the wrong thing. The stakes feel lower, so conversations feel lighter, more creative, more possibility-focused.

The Weak Ties Audit

Here's how to identify and activate your dormant network:

Step 1: Map Your Professional History

List every company, every team, every significant project from your career. Don't just think about direct colleagues — think about:

• Cross-functional partners
• Vendors or agency contacts
• People from training programs or conferences
• Early career connections who've since moved up
• People who left your company for interesting opportunities

Step 2: The LinkedIn Archaeological Dig

Go through your connections, sorting by company. Look for people you haven't talked to in 2+ years who:

• Would remember specific work you did together
• Have moved to companies or roles that interest you
• Posted recently about growth, hiring, or expansion
• Are now 2-3 levels above where they were when you knew them

Step 3: The Reconnection Formula

Your outreach needs three elements:

1. Specific shared memory ("I was thinking about that impossible Target launch we pulled off...")
2. Acknowledgment of their journey ("I've been following your move to innovation...")
3. Light, valuable ask ("Would love to get your perspective on how the category has evolved...")

Step 4: The Coffee Conversation Framework

• Don't make it about your job search. Make it about:
• Industry insights and trends
• Their career journey and learnings
• Challenges their company/category is facing
• Advice for navigating the current market

Let them offer to help. They usually will.

The Multiplier Effect

Here's what happened after my client reconnected with that one weak tie:

• He introduced her to two other VPs in the industry
• One of those VPs connected her with a recruiter
• The recruiter had three relevant roles

She ended up with four viable opportunities from one coffee chat

That's the multiplier effect of weak ties. One authentic reconnection can unlock an entire hidden network.

Your Weak Ties Action Plan

This Week:
1. List 10 people from earlier in your career who would remember your work
2. Find 5 of them on LinkedIn
3. Send 3 reconnection messages using the formula above

Next Week:
1. Have at least one coffee chat or phone call
2. Follow up with a thank you and one piece of valuable information
3. Let them guide next steps

Ongoing:
1. Reconnect with one weak tie per week
2. Track which connections lead to introductions
3. Nurture these relationships even after you land your role

The Truth About Your Network

Your next opportunity probably isn't hiding in your inner circle. It's not with the people you talk to every week. It's with someone who knew you before, who's traveled a different path, and who can see possibilities you can't.

That person you worked with five years ago? The one who saw you at your hungriest, your most creative, your most determined? They remember that version of you. And they might be the bridge to your next chapter.

Stop having the same conversations with the same people. Start reconnecting with the people who knew you when, and who can introduce you to who's next.

Your move this week: Identify three weak ties from your past. Send one message today. Not tomorrow. Today.

Because sometimes the person with the keys to your future is someone you haven't talked to in years.

They're just waiting for you to reach out.

Ready to expand beyond your inner circle? The CPG Collaboration Hub connects you with fresh perspectives and opportunities every week. Join CPG professionals who are actively building bridges to their next role: Join the CPG Collaboration Hub