10.1: 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 (Dillon, 2020).

When you “network,” you exchange information in the following ways:

• 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 also might share information about meet-up groups, conferences, special events, technology tools and social media.
• You also might solicit job “headhunters” or recruiters, career counselors, career centers, career coaches, an alumni association, family members, friends, acquaintances and vendors (Dillon, 2020).

Networking can occur anywhere and at any time. In fact, your network expands with each new relationship you establish. The networking strategies you can employ nearly are limitless. With imagination and ingenuity, your networking can be highly successful (Dillon, 2020).

Image credit: Illustration of networking with stick figures connected by dotted lines (Course Hero College Success Lumen Networking [www.coursehero.com])

Strategies for Networking

We live in a social world. Almost everywhere you go and anything you do professionally involves connecting with people. 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 (Dillon, 2020).

Strategies at College

• Get to know your professors: Communicating with instructors is a valuable way to learn about a career and also get references and letters of recommendation if and when needed for a job. Professors also can give you leads on job openings, internships, and research possibilities. Most instructors will share information and insights readily with you. Get to know your instructors - they 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.” At HACC, alumni and community members volunteer as mentors through the College Central Network tool available from Career Services.
• Connect with classmates: Classmates may or may not share your major but still could have job leads that could help you. You could be just one conversation away from a good lead (Dillon, 2020).

Strategies at Work

• Join professional organizations: You can meet many influential people at local and national meetings and events of professional and volunteer organizations. Learn about these organizations, and 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 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 toward common goals, you build relationships that may serve you later in unforeseen and helpful ways.
• 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. Check with HACC’s Career Services or CollegeRecruiter.com and internships.com for key resources.
• Get a part-time job: Working full-time may be your ultimate goal, but you may want to fill in some cracks by working in a part-time job. Invariably you will meet people who can help with your networking goals, and you can gain good experience along the way which can be noted on your résumé. Check HACC’s College Central Network for online job boards for full and part-time employment.
• Join a job club: Your career interests may be shared by many others who have organized a club, which can be online or in person. If you don’t find an existing club, consider starting one.
• 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 websites of companies, organizations, and associations.
• Conduct informational interviews (explained earlier in this text): 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 (Dillon, 2020). Many websites have guidance on how to plan and conduct these interviews, and more information is available in the “Researching Careers” chapter of this text.

Strategies at Home and Beyond

• Participate in social media: An explosion of career opportunities awaits you with social media, including LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and many more. You will find an extensive list of suggested sites at CareerOneStop. Keep your communication ultra-professional at these sites. Peruse magazine articles, and if you find one that’s relevant to your field containing names of professionals, you can reach out to them to learn more and get job leads. Realize that social media is public, and posting pictures of yourself at parties or commenting in an unbecoming way could cost you opportunities.
• 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 (Dillon, 2020).

Activity 10.1

Networking for Career Development

• Find information about five companies or people in your field of interest and follow them on Twitter.
• Research which social media platform is popular in your field of interest, and find leaders and experts in that field who are good models for how to interact with the audience of that platform. Be thoughtful about creating an account. Remember that these accounts will be highly searchable for a long time. What you post and how and when you post matters and may enhance (or hurt) your career.
• Find names of three people who interest you (peruse magazine articles, online sites, or other resources), and write an email to them explaining your interests and any requests you may have for information.
• Sign up for newsletters from two professional organizations in a field you want to know more about.
• Find and attend one in-person or online event each month then write about these experiences on one of your social media sites.
• Keep your communication on social media positive. Don’t attack or bully someone which may have regretful consequences. If you disagree with someone, do so with respect.