Research shows that employees have an average of 12 jobs during their lifetime. Some – about 29% – go on to switch fields entirely since starting their first job after college. With all these career changes, you’re bound to lose touch with valuable connections you’ve made along the way.

Even if years have gone by, writer Chanell Alexander says it’s still worthwhile to reach out to the former colleagues and bosses who have positively impacted your career. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share Alexander’s tips for getting back in touch with your professional contacts.

  1. Use LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter). LinkedIn, which is built on professional connections, is a great starting point. Alexander suggests sending your old contacts a quick message outlining how you know them, what you’ve been up to and why you’d like to reconnect. On X, simply respond to one of their posts or repost something they shared.

  2. Be honest. When reconnecting, be real about the amount of time that has passed. When you’re upfront about it, it can help lessen the awkwardness of not hearing from someone for years or decades. Depending on your past relationship with a particular contact, she says you might want to mention big life events, like marriage, the birth of a child or relocation.

  3. Reach out to a mutual friend. Maybe you and your former co-worker share a common connection. If that’s the case, ask this connection to facilitate a reintroduction. Tell them how you know the person and ask how close they are. If you feel comfortable, Alexander says you can ask them to reach out on your behalf via email or LinkedIn.

  4. Acknowledge a career milestone. Another great way to reconnect with old contacts is to celebrate their achievements. For example, if you know they won a PPAI award or received a promotion, use this opportunity to congratulate them and reconnect. Alexander says it’s an excellent springboard for getting updated on their career moves and aspirations.

  5. Share something of value with them. Maybe you can connect your old contact with a potential client. Or perhaps you can share a PPAI Media article or other resource that could benefit them. According to Alexander, this lets you reconnect and show that you are genuinely thinking of them and their potential needs.

Connecting with former co-workers and bosses can enrich your life and theirs. If you worry that too much time has gone by, consider the ideas above to reconnect. You never know what professional opportunities a call or coffee meetup could lead to.   

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Chanell Alexander writes about technology and tools for TrustRadius.