Chapter 21: Networking

In the context of career development, networking is the process by which people build relationships with one another for the purpose of helping one another achieve professional goals.

When you “network,” you exchange information.

• You may share business cards, résumés, cover letters, job-seeking strategies, leads about open jobs, information about companies and organizations, and information about a specific field.
• You might also share information about meet-up groups, conferences, special events, technology tools, and social media.
• You might also solicit job “headhunters,” career counselors, career centers, career coaches, an alumni association, family members, friends, acquaintances, and vendors.

Networking can occur anywhere and at any time. In fact, your network expands with each new relationship you establish. And the networking strategies you can employ are nearly limitless. With imagination and ingenuity, your networking can be highly successful.

Strategies for Networking

We live in a social world. Almost everywhere you go and anything you do professionally involves connecting with people. It stands to reason that finding a new job and advancing your career entails building relationships with these people. Truly, the most effective way to find a new job is to network, network, and network some more.

Once you acknowledge the value of networking, the challenge is figuring out how to do it. What is your first step? Whom do you contact? What do you say? How long will it take? Where do you concentrate efforts? How do you know if your investments will pay off?

For every question you may ask, a range of strategies can be used.

Watch this video from Indeed: “Best Networking Tips: How to Make a Connection”

Hank Blank, an author on books about job searching and networking recommends the following modern and no-nonsense strategies. Click on each strategy to learn more:

Strategies at College

It is never too early to start networking and preparing for your future career. You have a network around you right now as a student!

Get to know your professors. Communicating with instructors is a valuable way to learn about a career and also get letters of reference if and when needed for a job. Professors can also give you leads on job openings, internships, and research possibilities. Most instructors will readily share information and insights with you. Current and past instructors are a valuable part of your network.

Check with your college’s alumni office: You may find that some alumni are affiliated with your field of interest and can give you the “inside scoop.”

Check with classmates: Classmates may or may not share your major, but any of them may have leads that could help you. You could be just one conversation away from a good lead.

Strategies at Work

You might work with lots of people during a day, but have you thought about who could help you build your career or give you advice in the future?

Join professional organizations: You can meet many influential people at local and national meetings and events of professional and volunteer organizations. Even events in the local area or on your campus can be a good way to start. Learn about these organizations. See if they have membership discounts for students, or student chapters. Once you are a member, you may have access to membership lists, which can give you prospective access to many new people with whom to network.

Volunteer: Volunteering is an excellent way to meet new people who can help you develop your career, even if the organization you are volunteering with is not in your field. Just by working alongside others and working toward common goals, you build relationships that may later serve you in unforeseen and helpful ways. Check for volunteer opportunities through your school or work or find a non-profit organization you feel passionate about helping.

Get an internship: Many organizations offer internship positions to college students. Some of these positions are paid, but often they are not. Paid or not, you gain experience relevant to your career, and you potentially make many new contacts.

Get a part-time job: Working full-time may be your ultimate goal, but you may want to fill in some cracks or crevices by working in a part-time job. Invariably you will meet people who can

feasibly help with your networking goals. And you can gain good experience along the way, which can also be noted on your résumé.

Attend networking events: There are innumerable professional networking events taking place around the world and also online. Find them listed in magazines, community calendars, newspapers, journals, and at the Web sites of companies, organizations, and associations.

Conduct informational interviews: You may initiate contact with people in your chosen field who can tell you about their experiences of entering the field and thriving in it. Many Web sites have guidance on how to plan and conduct these interviews.

Watch this video from Indeed: “Informational Interview Tips: Scheduling, Example Questions to Ask & More”

Strategies at Home and Beyond

Building your network can take time and focus beyond your time at school or at work. Making intentional progress at home and beyond can help you enhance your connections for long-term success.

Participate in online social media: An explosion of career opportunity awaits you with social media, including LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and many more. Keep your communication ultra-professional at these sites. Peruse magazine articles, and if you find one that’s relevant to your field and it contains names of professionals, you can reach out to them to learn more and get job leads.

Ask family members and friends, coworkers, and acquaintances for referrals: Do they know others who might help you? You can start with the question “Who else should I be talking to?”

Use business cards or networking cards: A printed business card can be an essential tool to help your contacts remember you. Creativity can help in this regard, too. Students often design cards themselves and either hand print them or print them on a home printer.

Sources for Developing Professional Networks

• The bottom line with developing professional networks is to cull information from as many sources as possible and use that information in creative ways to advance your career opportunities.

Don’t Wait to Develop Your Network

For inspiration, listen to Isaac Serwanga’s Tedx Talk on his 3 Bones of Networking for Student Success:

• The Wishbone (State what you want!),
• The Jawbone (Ask with competency and humility!)
• The Backbone (Persist, persist, persist!).

Conclusion

Networking is the process by which people form professional relationships to create, act upon opportunities, share information and help one another achieve professional goals. When you “network” with a person, you might: share business cards, resumes, cover letters, job-seeking strategies, leads about open jobs, information about companies and organizations, and information about specific fields. Share information about networking groups, conferences, events, technology tools, and social media Research career counselors, career centers, career coaches and alumni, relatives, and acquaintances.

Licenses and Attributions

CC Licensed Content — Original

Bruce, L. (n.d.). Networking. Lumen Learning. (Licensed under CC BY 4.0.)

Campos-Robledo, J., & Nguyen, T. (n.d.). Career/life planning and personal exploration. Lumen Learning, OER Commons. (Licensed under CC BY 4.0.)

Dorsey Neugebauer, R. (n.d.). Networking. Chadron State College, Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative. (Licensed under CC BY 4.0.)

Potter, C. (n.d.). Image of 3D social networking [Photograph]. ccPixs.com. (Licensed under CC BY 2.0.)

Serwanga, I. (n.d.). The 3 bones of networking for student success [Video]. TED. (Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.)

All Rights Reserved Content

Blank, H. (n.d.). Networking tips for college students and young people [Video]. YouTube. (Licensed under Standard YouTube License – All Rights Reserved.)

Original Chapter Source

Original chapter source: Adapted from Career Planning and Personal Exploration by Dawn Allison.