Networking
- Why do I need to network?
- Developing Networks
- Making an impression at a Career Fair
- Informational Interviews
- Shadowing Experience
Why Do I Need To Network?
The tried and true way to job hunt involves finding listings in the newspaper or on the ‘net and applying by sending off your resume with a cover letter. And waiting. And sometimes hearing nothing at all for weeks, months, or forever.
It’s a job search method that can keep you very busy, feeling like you are treating job hunting like the full time job that it is.
It can also be depressing, demoralizing, time consuming and, ultimately, fruitless.
There is a better way. It’s called networking and it takes many forms. Networking means:
- Appreciating that the best way to get the best job is by tapping into the “hidden job market.” (According to hotjobs.com, fully 70% of jobs are filled without any advertising at all!)
- Understanding that who you know and who you meet are critical to a successful job search
- Accepting that building mutually advantageous relationships with many people is a lifelong activity that creates and sustains vibrant careers.
Building and utilizing your network is essential to your career exploration and job search. Without a network, it is difficult to be on the inside track where career related issues are discussed and great job opportunities are announced. More important, using a network can help you discover if a career field is a good fit for your interests, lifestyle preferences, and skills. Whether you are a first-year student or a senior, networking provides an unparalleled chance to help you clarify your career goals.
Developing Networks
Networks prove very helpful for both exploring career fields and actually finding jobs. Networking is the process of discovering and utilizing connections among people. Genuine networks stem from friendships or business relationships. Everyone knows other people, and thus has a network. But “networking” implies movement beyond your immediate personal and professional circles and involves tapping into other people’s worlds, perhaps far removed from your own.
It’s Happening Everywhere…
Some people consider networking about as appealing and honest as nepotism or insider trading; they consider it to be another term for getting the not-quite- legitimate inside track. Professional networks, however, exist in all career fields, so it is crucial to learn how to utilize them. To be aware of what is happening in your own profession, you must be a member of that professional community. The community alerts its members to new technologies and best practices, offers opportunities for professional development, and most interesting to you, shares information about job openings before they are made known to the general public.
When it comes time to hire, members of a network would prefer to hire from within.
The skills you hone as you create your network will serve you well in your job search. You will need to be assertive without being aggressive; you will communicate effectively; you will learn how to approach someone you don’t know. When you have finished, you will be part of a community of professionals who know and respect you.
As An Undergraduate, How Can I Begin To Network?
1. Start a list with the names drawn from everyone in your circle: friends, relatives, classmates, present and former co-workers, neighbors, faculty members, members of any clubs to which you belong, religious or community organizations, etc. Now examine the list for people who have any connection at all, no matter how distant, to the career you are considering. This is your existing network.
2. Your professors are a link in your network chain, especially if you have been an active participant in their classes. Drop in during office hours and ask them about their field. Do they have colleagues they can refer you to who can become a part of your network?
3. To expand your network, utilize the Hiatt Career Center Library for sources of organizations and people – including the Hiatt Alumni Mentoring Network. Set up informational interviews.
4. Doing an internship is one of the easiest ways to expand your network as an undergraduate. Internships may be full or part-time, paid or volunteer. While there, you will develop a rapport with your supervisor and others in your department. These individuals may be your first direct professional contacts in your field. Learn as much as you possibly can from them while you are there, and then stay up to date by reading the same publications they read, belonging to the same email listservs, newsgroups and professional associations. If possible, attend any relevant conferences or trade shows (perhaps as a volunteer).
Put all of these people together and you have a network! Now you have to work to keep it together. Don’t let them forget about you – check in with your network via e-mail, phone, or a quick note. As your professional relationships become more established you will become far more comfortable with building and maintaining your network.
A Final Note
During the course of your career your network contacts may change; creating and building networks is a lifelong process. The skills you are developing now are laying the foundation for continuing to successfully expand your future networks. And remember: some day you will be the professional getting “networked” by a Brandeis student!