What is “networking”?
In the course of your college and professional career, you will have opportunities to meet and work with peers and people from all different walks of life. Whether you meet someone in class, during a service-learning project, or at a training session, you’ll be presented with chances to establish new contacts and develop relationships to establish your “network.”
Types of Networking
- Structured networking is when the benefits to building relationships are explicit. These are intentional activities that have a purpose. Events include professional association meetings, job fairs, or informational interviews.
- Unstructured networking or “happenstance” is part of your everyday life. This kind of networking takes place at social events and gatherings such as parties, weddings, and going out to restaurants/ bars where professional networking is not the main focus.
3 Keys to Networking
- Develop your strategy. Identify the type of groups or individuals you want to come in contact with. How are you going to reach them?
- Set a goal to connect with a specified number of contacts each week/month. Keep the numbers small and focus on truly getting to know these people and building a genuine relationship.
- Use a system to keep your contacts organized. Plan on staying in touch with them. Send thank you notes to anyone who helped you. LinkedIn is one of the more popular ways to do this.
Networking and the job search
It used to be that a large number of jobs existed only in the “hidden job market.” It is uncertain how many jobs are still there, since it is easy and relatively inexpensive to post job openings somewhere. What we often see now is recruiters inundated with resumes for job postings. If a job seeker can get their cover letter/resume noticed by using a referral from someone in their network, it is likely to enhance their prospects as a candidate.
The Law of 250
- Every person knows at least 250 other people. Each of your contacts knows at least 250 people. So that’s 62,500 at your 2nd level. Each of your 2nd level contacts knows 250 people – and that’s over 15,000,000. LinkedIn allows you to visualize these connections in one place.
- It is typically not your first level contact that eventually hires you. In fact, you’ll probably find that the hiring contact may be 2, 3, or 4 levels deep.
How to Follow Up
- After you’ve made an introduction, follow up with your contact through email within 5-10 working days.
- Keep your note short: “It was nice to meet you. I look forward to seeing you again.” Try to be helpful.
- Include a link to an article you both may find interesting or share some professional news. If appropriate, introduce others in your network. Above all, be professional: no text speak, include a signature or footer with your contact information, and proof for typos.
Expanding the Conversation—Safe Topics
At certain times, it may be appropriate to expand the conversation beyond a basic introduction and exchange of business cards. Think about the acronym REST.
Recreation – You may ask about hobbies or sports the other person enjoys. This is considered an area where you may find common ground. You might phrase your question like this: “What keeps you busy when you’re not at work?”
Education – You might ask about their educational background. “Where did you go to school?” (Don’t presume college) and “What did you study?” may be good starters.
Surroundings – You may seek his/her opinion on the facilities. “What do you think of this hotel for the conference?”
Travel – You may ask about recent or near future travel. “Did you take any vacation this year? Where to?”