10 - Professional Networking 91-100

8/8/2019 10 - Professional Networking 91-100

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Pofessoal Networking

1. Learn rom people who’ve been where you are.

One o your best resources or networking is alumni rom your school. They’ve

taken the classes you have taken, they have been on the job market just like you,

and they have some perspective to share because they know what it’s like to have

a job and work in the eld.

Alumni are among the rst people you should reach out to as you develop your

network. I you’re at all nervous about contacting an alumnus, consider this: what

i someone rom your high school called you and asked you about your major?

Would you take a ew minutes to tell them what you think and whether you’d

recommend it or not? O course you would—so don’t worry about contacting an

alumnus. Just be proessional and ask good questions.

Contact you career center and nd out what opportunities exist to

connect with alumni rom your major and/or who work in your eld o

interest.




2. Develop a networking list.

Networks are easier to develop than you might think. The easiest way to start is to

identiy all the people you already know who might be able to help you. Helpul

people can include:

n Parents and riends o your parents

n Siblings and riends o your siblings

n Alumni rom your college or university (or high school)

n Supervisors rom previous jobs

n Supervisors rom internships

n Proessors

n Administrators

n Almost anyone you meet

Be sure to organize your contact list. Consider getting a spiral notebook to keep track o

who you’ve contacted, their contact inormation, your interview questions, what you’ve

learned, and what you want to do next. You could also do this via an Excel spreadsheet

or other computer sotware. What’s most important is that you develop some system or

keeping track o your contacts. You never know when you’ll need to contact them again.

Make a list o everyone you can think o who can help you. Decide who

you’re going to contact rst, and what you will ask them. Remember

not to ask them or a job—the purpose o networking is to develop a

relationship rst and ask avors later.




3. Decide what you need to know about your feld.

Now that you’ve identied the career eld or job you’re interested in, develop

some questions you’d like to ask someone in your eld o interest Start by guring

out the reason you would want to speak with them—what inormation do you

want to collect? Here are some ideas:

n Increase your knowledge o a career eld

n Learn about the geographic area in which this person lives

n Find an internship

n Ask to have your skills and background analyzed

n Ask them to review your résumés and cover letter

n Ask or names o potential employers (individuals or organizations)

n Learn what you can do now to improve your chances o being hired

n Learn what courses to take beore you graduate

With the help o your career center or proessional organization, identiy

someone who could help you learn more about your career eld.

Identiy 3 things you would like to learn rom this person.




4. Develop good questions to ask your network.

There are literally hundreds o questions you could ask people in your network.

Avoid questions which can easily be answered on the internet or by reading the

organization’s brochures.

Consider questions that ocus on preparation or training or the eld, such as:

n How do people break into this eld?

n What is the best preparation or this kind o work?

n Are there courses I should be taking?

n Should I do an internship? Do you recommend a particular site?

You can also ask questions about how to get a job in the eld:

n Ideally, what should I have on my résumé?

n How did you get your start in this eld?

n Can you recommend particular employers I should look into?

Here are some general questions worth asking:

n Can you provide names o others who would be able to give me inormation

and advice this career eld? May I say that you suggested I contact them?

n Are there important things I need to know about this eld that I haven’t

brought up?

Write down at least 5 questions you would ask i you met someone in

your eld o interest.




5. Contact your network proessionally.

Now that you know why you’re contacting someone in your network, it’s important

to approach the process proessionally.

Your goal is to attain an inormation interview, not a job. The quickest way to cut o

a valuable networking contact is to ask or a job. While the individual might have a

job available at some time, your initial goal is to get inormation, not employment.

With that in mind, here are some helpul hints about inormation interviewing

n Be prepared with questions.

n Respect your contact’s time; do your research ahead o time so you don’t ask

questions which could be easily answered online.n You never know who can help you in this process. Be polite to everyone and

ollow up, even i the lead doesn’t seem promising.

n Follow up. Express your gratitude in writing. I you take action based on

something they suggested, let them know.

n I you want to continue the relationship, ask i it’s OK to contact them again

when you’re urther along in your job search process.

n When you get a job, contact the individual and thank them or their help in the

process.

Select one contact, prepare your questions, and connect with them via

email or on the phone. Set up a time to meet or talk about the career

eld you’re interested in.




6. Create your online brand.

Remember that rst mindset-- that you are always sel- employed and responsible

or your career?

Well, one aspect o being responsible or your career is creating your personal

brand so that you are not dened by your job title or conned to your current job

description. A strong “brand” ensures that you stand out rom the competition.

Here are two questions to help you develop your brand:

n What makes you distinctive: what skills, education or experience do you have

that an employer might be interested in?

n How are you better than someone else with the same education?

Once you have an idea o your brand, and what makes you unique, you will want

to share it with potential employers. This includes crating your résumé, collecting

samples o your work, and developing an online presence.

Plan to become an expert in your eld. Showcase your talents online

by creating a LinkedIn account, setting up a website and/or blog, or

starting a proessional Twitter account.




7. Email someone on your network.

I you’re using email to get in touch with your contact, consider the ollowing guidelines:

n Watch the tone o your email: you should be riendly and polite, but not too inormal.

n Explain why you are writing and how you obtained their contact inormation

n Keep your writing clear and concise. Do not write lengthy messages or ask questions

which demand a lengthy reply.

n Always reread and spell-check your emails beore sending them.

n Do not use ALL CAPITALS or all small letters. Use standard punctuation and grammar.

n Start by explaining why you’re writing and ask i the person is willing to answer some

questions. Wait or a reply beore sending your questions, and always oer to call

instead i the contact would preer.

Here’s a sample email:

Greetings, Mr. Wilson:

My name is Emily Smith and I am a student at ____________, majoring in ____________. I

received your name rom their alumni database and I was wondering i you would be willing to

answer some questions I have about your career in _______? I can email them to you or call you

i you are interested in helping me. Thank you or considering my request—just let me know

how you would preer that I contact you.

Sincerely,

Emily Smith

Write a sample email in your word processor and save it to use when

you contact someone on your network.




8. Call someone on your network.

Beore you pick up the phone and call someone on your network:

n Be prepared—know why you’re calling and what you’re going to say.

n Sound riendly, condent, and energetic.

n Try not to sound rushed, even though you might be nervous.

n Use the person’s name when you speak with them.

n Call early in the morning and in the middle o the week.

n Your contact may not answer the phone him/hersel. Be polite to everyone.

n Explain your purpose in calling.

n I the contact isn’t available, nd out the best time to call back. In general, youshould not ask them to call you.

n Have your list o questions ready. Reer to your résumé when appropriate.

n It’s OK to leave 2 messages with the contact, but i you get no response, let it go.

n Send a thank you note ater your conversation, regardless o whether it was by

phone, e-mail, or in person.

Here’s a sample script for the answering machine:

Hello, Ms. Smith, my name is Jane Smith and I am a _______ major at _________.

Proessor Jones suggested I contact you because I’m considering a career in ________.

I was wondering i it would be possible to have 15 minutes o your time to talk about

careers in _________ ? I will try to call you again and I hope we can connect. Thank you or your time. I you would preer to call me, my number is ____________.

Fill in the blanks on the script and call a potential source o help or your

career. (And be prepared or the person to answer!)




9. Take advantage o guest speakers.

Most colleges and academic departments host speakers regularly. Sometimes they

present to the general public, but oten they speak to people studying your major

or in a specic class. Outside speakers have the potential to enhance your network.

Next time your proessor mentions a speaker coming to campus, go to their

talk. Go up to the speaker aterward and thank them or coming. Tell them

what you enjoyed about their talk. Ask them i they have any suggestions

or someone starting out in the eld. Thank them or their advice and, i

possible, get their email address to send them a thank-you email. You never

know who they might know, or where this interaction might lead.


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10. Network through a proessional association.

I your proessional association (and you are a member o at least one now, right?)

has a networking event or other social event, go to it. As you wander around the

reception, take note o the participants’ nametags or possible connections or

interesting opportunities. Exchange business cards, and write on the back o their

card why this person might be o interest, such as “Bill’s company hires new grads

requently.” Use this inormation when you contact them via phone or email.

Find out the next date or a meeting, network event, or other gathering

o the proessional association you have joined. Sign up to attend and

be ready to network!

10 - Professional Networking 91-100

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