I don't know how you feel about networking, but honestly, the thought of it makes me nervous. Walking into a crowded room, introducing myself to strangers, and trying to make professional connections does not come naturally to me.

That was until a few dietitian friends I knew from social media, or had met in real life at FNCE, reached out to “catch up.”

Genius!

There was no awkward networking introduction, formal agenda, or pressure to ask for anything. It was simply a conversation between colleagues who were genuinely interested in hearing what the other person was doing.

A simple note asking to schedule a call can lead to a conversation about what is working - or not working - in your business, what is changing at your organization, ideas for how you could collaborate, or what is new in nutrition and dietetics.

I always come away from these conversations feeling connected, inspired, and curious about the next steps.

Sometimes I learn about a new technology platform, company, specialty, or service. Other times, the conversation sparks an idea for a podcast interview, article, referral, introduction, or social media collaboration. Even when there is no immediate outcome, I feel more connected to the dietetics community.

I now try to reach out to other dietitians at least twice a month to do the same.

This is the new networking!

Instead of thinking about networking as meeting as many people as possible, think about it as maintaining meaningful professional relationships one conversation at a time.

Here is my take on how to turn a simple work catch-up call into a comfortable and valuable networking opportunity.

Why Schedule Professional Catch-Up Calls?

You do not need to be actively job searching, launching a business, or looking for clients to benefit from networking.

In fact, the best time to build professional relationships is often when you do not need anything.

Regular catch-up conversations can help you:

• Stay current on what fellow dietitians and their employers are working on
• Learn what is changing in the dietetics industry
• Hear about new roles, specialties, companies, and career paths
• Discover tools, resources, or strategies that could help your work
• Explore opportunities to collaborate or refer work to one another
• Keep your name top of mind when new opportunities arise

A dietitian you speak with today might think of you six months from now when their employer is hiring, a client needs a referral, a conference needs a speaker, or a company needs someone with your particular expertise.

You may also be able to help them.

Perhaps you know someone they should meet. You might share one of their resources with your audience, recommend them for a speaking opportunity, refer a client, or tell them about a job opening that fits their background.

Networking is not only about what someone can do for you. It is about learning how you can support one another over time.

Who Should You Invite to a Catch-Up Call?

Start with people you already know, even if you have not spoken in a while.

You might reach out to:

• A dietitian you met at FNCE or another professional conference
• A former colleague, supervisor, intern, or classmate
• Someone you interact with regularly on LinkedIn or Instagram
• A dietitian who works in a specialty that interests you
• A fellow business owner or private practice dietitian
• Someone who recently changed jobs or launched a new service
• A past podcast guest, speaker, mentor, or collaborator
• A dietitian who lives or works in your local community

The person does not have to be a close friend. You simply need a reason to reconnect and a genuine interest in what they are doing.

You might say that you enjoyed meeting them at an event, appreciated one of their recent LinkedIn posts, noticed that they started a new role, or have been meaning to reconnect since you last worked together.

Keep the Catch-Up Call Simple

A catch-up call does not need to be an hour-long meeting. Twenty to thirty minutes is usually enough time to reconnect, exchange updates, and identify any natural next steps.

You also do not need to prepare a formal presentation or list of polished talking points. It can help, however, to think about a few questions you would like to ask and two or three updates you can share about your own work.

Most importantly, lead with curiosity.

This is not an informational interview, a sales pitch, or a disguised request for a job. You are not inviting someone to a conversation just so you can ask them for something.

Your goal is to learn, listen, reconnect, and see where the conversation naturally leads.

A Catch-Up Call Agenda

You do not need to follow a rigid agenda, but having a few questions ready can help the conversation flow.

1. Start with a general work update

You could ask:

• How are you doing with work these days?
• What has changed since we last spoke?
• Are you still working in the same role or specialty?
• What has been keeping you busy lately?

These questions give the other person room to share whatever feels most relevant to them.

They may tell you about a new position, a changing team, a growing business, a challenging project, or an area of work they are reconsidering.

2. Ask what is working - and what is not

Try questions such as:

• How is your business, team, or role going?
• What is working well right now?
• What has been more challenging than expected?
• Are you seeing any changes in what clients, patients, or employers need?

You may learn that a private practice dietitian is receiving more referrals for a particular health condition, that a clinical dietitian is using a new technology platform, or that an employer is having difficulty hiring dietitians with certain skills.

These details help you understand what is happening in the profession beyond your own workplace.

3. Ask what they are seeing in dietetics

Every dietitian has a different view of the profession depending on their specialty, setting, geographic area, and career stage.

You might ask:

• What trends are you noticing in your area of dietetics?
• Are your clients or patients asking about anything new?
• Are you noticing changes in hiring or staffing?
• What skills seem to be becoming more valuable?
• Are there any companies, services, or technologies you are watching?

For example, a dietitian working in telehealth may have a different perspective from someone working in food service, research, sports nutrition, private practice, public health, or long-term care.

These conversations can help you see where the profession may be heading and where new opportunities could emerge.

4. Talk about current and future projects

Ask:

• What projects are you excited about right now?
• What are you hoping to work on next?
• Is there anything you have been wanting to create or try?
• What project would you pursue if you had more time?

This is often where collaboration ideas begin.

One dietitian might be planning a webinar and need a guest speaker. Another may be looking for podcast guests, article contributors, referral partners, or help promoting a new resource.

You may not have a way to help immediately, but you can keep the project in mind and follow up when you see a relevant opportunity.

What You Can Share on a Catch-Up Call

A catch-up call should be a two-way conversation. Be ready to share a few highlights from your own work without turning the conversation into a formal pitch.

You might mention:

• A new skill you developed
• A recent project you completed
• A presentation you gave
• A successful client or patient outcome
• A process you improved at work
• A new certification or continuing education course
• A work accomplishment or career highlight
• An area of dietetics you are exploring
• A challenge you are currently trying to solve
• A professional goal you are working toward

For example, you could say:

“I recently created a new onboarding process for our outpatient nutrition program, and it has helped reduce scheduling confusion.”

Or:

“I have been learning more about nutrition communications and would love to find opportunities to write or speak about digestive health.”

Or:

“I just finished a presentation for our clinical team about malnutrition documentation. It reminded me how much I enjoy teaching.”

These small updates help others understand your skills, interests, and professional direction.

You do not have to announce that you are networking or looking for an opportunity. By sharing what you are doing and what interests you, you make it easier for people to recognize opportunities that may be relevant to you.

Look for Natural Collaboration Opportunities

Collaboration does not always mean creating a major program or business partnership together.

It might mean:

• Introducing the person to someone in your network
• Inviting them to be a podcast guest
• Sharing one of their articles or resources
• Referring a client who needs their expertise
• Contributing a quote to an article
• Co-hosting a webinar or LinkedIn Live
• Speaking on a panel together
• Connecting them with a recruiter or employer
• Recommending them for a media opportunity
• Exchanging feedback on a project or idea

The opportunity should feel natural based on what you discussed.

You do not need to force a collaboration during every conversation. Sometimes the most valuable outcome is simply learning more about each other’s work. An opportunity may appear weeks or months later.

End on a Collaborative Note

Before ending the call, summarize anything you offered to do and ask how you can support the other person.

You could say:

“I love what you are doing. I’ll think about ways I can help share your work with my audience.”

You could also say:

“I’m going to keep your specialty in mind when I hear about referral or speaking opportunities.”

Or:

“I know someone who may be helpful for you to meet. Let me check with them and see if I can make an introduction.”

Be careful not to promise something you are unlikely to complete. A small, specific follow-up is more helpful than a vague promise to “help however I can.”

Follow Up After the Conversation

Send a brief thank-you message after the call. Mention something specific that you enjoyed discussing and complete any follow-up you promised.

For example:

“Thank you for catching up with me today! I loved hearing about the new employee wellness program you are developing. I’m going to send you the resource I mentioned, and I’ll keep you in mind when I hear about corporate wellness opportunities.”

You can also make a private note about what the person is working on, what matters to them, and when you might reconnect.

This is where a simple networking system can help. Add a reminder to your calendar to check in again in three to six months, or when you see something that makes you think of them.

Catch-Up Outreach Template

This is the template I use for my outreach notes:

Hi [Name]! I was thinking about our conversation at [event/company] and wanted to catch up again. I’d love to hear what you’re working on these days. I always learn so much from our conversations. Can we schedule a time for another catch up chat sometime in the next few weeks?

You can also use this version for someone you know primarily through social media:

Hi [Name]! I’ve really enjoyed following your work and our conversations on LinkedIn. I’d love to hear more about what you’re working on and share what I’ve been up to, too. Would you be open to a brief catch-up call sometime in the next few weeks?

Or reconnect with a former colleague:

Hi [Name]! It has been a while since we worked together, and I would love to hear how you are doing and what you are working on now. Would you be open to a 20-minute catch-up call sometime soon?

Make Catch-Up Calls Part of Your Routine

Networking becomes much less intimidating when it is a regular habit rather than something you do only when you need a job.

Start small. Reach out to one or two people each month. Choose people you are genuinely interested in reconnecting with, and focus on having a good conversation.

You do not need to attend a huge networking event or introduce yourself to dozens of strangers. You can build a strong professional community through individual conversations with people you respect and enjoy.

Over time, those conversations can lead to referrals, collaborations, friendships, new ideas, and career opportunities.

More importantly, they help us stay connected in a profession where we have so much to learn from one another.

Tell me how you approach networking. Do you regularly schedule professional catch-up calls?

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About the Author

Stacey Dunn-Emke, MS, RDN, is the Founder Owner of NutritionJobs and DietitianSalaries.com and is an established dietetic career expert. She helps steer dietetic and nutrition professionals to a successful job search process with the top-ranked dietetic job board platform, NutritionJobs.com. Stacey is the author of The Dietetic Resume Guide and numerous dietetic career action-ables. She gives the tools to create a modern standout dietetic resume to land that job interview, help with job interview prep, and with creating Compelling LinkedIn profiles. Stacey has interviewed and hired many dietitians. Since running NutritionJobs in 2000, she has reviewed thousands of dietetic resumes. She works closely with dietetic hiring managers and recruiters to know the standout elements on a resume that land a job interview. Stacey speaks on successful compensation negotiation at professional conferences and frequently consults with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at FNCE and co-created the webinar series, Dietetic Career Hack: The Complete Networking and Resume Guide and Dietetic Career Hack Part II: Interviewing Tips and Tricks. Her previous dietitian jobs have been in clinical, nutrition support, and research.

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