Networking is the process of making connections and building relationships. These
connections can provide you with advice and contacts, which can help make informed
career decisions. Networking can even help you find unadvertised jobs/internships.
Networking Opportunities
Attend a Career Fairs and events and network with recruiters from local, regional, and national organizations.
Participate in Winthrop's I'm Ready! alumni-student mentor program and receive guidance and support from an alumni mentor.
Join a professional association such as SHRM, ACS, or the CAA (College Art Association).
Get to know your professors! They can vouch for your work ethic and make excellent
references.
Attend professional conferences, conventions, and presentations.
Visit people at a social club, community agency, or religious gathering.
Greet those who are sitting near you at a sporting event.
Talk to your neighbors.
Strike up a conversation while waiting in the check-out line at the grocery store.
Reconnect with old friends, classmates, and colleagues on LinkedIn.
These are just some of the many opportunities that you might have for networking.
You can use these conversations and connections as ways to learn about business leads,
find common areas of interests, and establish a working relationship with a potential
mentor or colleague. If you establish a positive, long-term relationship with people,
they might be able to refer you to particular job vacancies. Networking is a powerful
way to get your foot in the door. Remember - you're not asking for a job, you are
seeking information, a lead, a contact, or a referral. Think of it as a research project…without
a grade.
Networking Tips
Expand Your Network: Join a professional organization and attend conferences and meetings with the goal
of meeting at least one new person at each function that you attend. To find a professional
association which matches your interests.
Utilize Contacts: Tell everyone you know that you are conducting a job search and what type of job
you are looking for, include relatives, friends, professors, previous employers, etc.
Be Assertive: When at a function, whether social or professional, take the initiative and introduce
yourself to people; don't wait for people to talk to you. Ask them about themselves
and what they do. (If you are shy, take it one step at a time. You don't have to
overwhelm yourself.)
Write Thank You Notes: When you have the opportunity to talk with people either over the phone or in person,
write a thank-you note. Let them know that you appreciate the time they gave you
and the information they shared. Also, ask them if they know of anyone else who would
be able to provide you with more information.
Be Organized: Keep track of who you meet, where they work, and what they do.
Update Contacts: Stay in touch with contacts. Send them interesting articles or invite them for coffee.
Make sure they know that you are available to assist them too. Networking is a two-way
street, update your notes with any important information that passes in conversation.
People will appreciate your effort to inquire about how the big project they were
working on went when you last spoke.
Check out our Networking Tips (pdf — 199 kb) for more information.
When approaching recruiters, you only have about 5 minutes to convince them to contact
you for a future interview. With that in mind, the more prepared you are, the better
you will be able to sell yourself. Preparing a 30 second “commercial” about yourself
can help break the ice and get the interaction started in the right direction.
EXAMPLE:
“Hello, my name is Winnie, and I am a senior accounting major at Winthrop University.
Last summer I completed an internship in the accounting department of Office Depot.
I am interested in broadening my experience, and I read that your company is embarking
on a new market in Europe.”
Tailor your “commercial” to each of the top companies you will approach. When deciding
what information to include, consider what is demanded of the position and what skills
or traits would allow someone to be successful in that position. Determine how you
can fill such requirements (i.e. key skills, characteristics, experiences) and stress
those points.
It's often advisable to close with some form of question to transfer the conversation
to the recruiter. Still, there are questions recruiters say you should avoid...
What does the company do?
Asking if the company has any jobs.
When asked what type of position you are seeking, saying you would be willing to do
anything at the company
Instead, conduct some research ahead of time to gather information about the company.
Use this research time to find something about the employer that interests or relates
to you (i.e. international customer base, industry relevance, projects, etc ... ),
and use that as a base for your questions. For companies you visit that you did not
research extensively, follow your introduction with a question such as, ''Could you
tell me how someone with my background and could fit into your company?”
Practice
Hello, my name is ______, and I am a (year in program/ alumnus of Winthrop University)
(majoring in/ with a degree in) ______. Recently, I have been (working/ interning/
volunteering) with ______ in the _____ department to gain experience in ______. My
strongest interests lie in (teaching/ management/CIS) ______, so I'm looking for a
(summer/currently looking/post graduation) position in ________. I'm particularly
interested in (company name) because of ________ and find your companies (enter research
findings - new market openings, business strategies, community involvement, etc ..
.) particularly interesting. Could you tell me about how this will affect employees
in (position of interest)? - or other relevant question.
Once you have prepared your commercial, you need to practice it until you become comfortable
enough that you can sell you can exude confidence in its delivery--the recruiter will
find you more convincing. Be careful not to cross the line from professional confidence
into arrogance or cockiness, as you don't want to push anyone away. Remember to include
the basics... maintain good eye contact, good posture, and positive body language,
and you should be on the road to success.
Want to practice your elevator pitch with someone?
Your career consultant can help you practice your elevator pitch.
LinkedIn is the world's largest networking site that allows you to share knowledge
and ideas, stay up-to-date on industry and market trends, search career opportunities,
and connect with professionals.
Quick Tips
Start by connecting with who you know (e.g., co-workers, classmates, professors, etc.)
Add examples of your work to your profile.
Claim your custom URL
Use your profile link on professional marketing tools such as a resume or business
card.
Join groups relevant to your career interests and comment and post to the groups regularly.
Linkedin profile checklist:
Summary: Here you’ll explain relevant qualifications, such as degree you’re seeking and relevant
experiences. You’ll want to include what you’re skilled in and also what your career
goals and aspirations are.
Headline: Customize pre-selected headline if desired to include what you’re doing (job, internship,
student, etc.).
Photo: Wear professional attire and don’t forget to smile!
Experience: List jobs you have held, including seasonal, part-time, or full-time. You can also
listinternships here. Include a description of yourroles, responsibilities, and accomplishments
for each.
Organizations: Are you involved in any student organizations or professional associations? Remember
to include your role in the organization.
Education: List all of your collegiate experiences, including summer programs.
Volunteer Experiences & Causes:Volunteer experience is just as important as paid work. List out some of your volunteer
opportunities!
Skills & Expertise: Be sure to add a minimum of 5 skill sets – your connections can then endorse you
for things you’re best at.
Honors & Awards: Think about accomplishments and awards you’ve earned in or outside of school.
Courses: List courses that show skill sets and interests you’re excited about.
Projects: This could be leading a team assignment in school or building an app on your own.
Talk about what you did and how you did it.
Recommendations: Ask supervisors, professors, classmates, coworkers, and othersto write a recommendation.
This provides extra credibility to your skills and strengths.
An informational interview is an informal conversation, usually lasting 20-30 minutes
with a person working in a career field that interests you. It is not a job interview,
and its purpose is not to find job openings. Ask questions like:
What was your major in college?
How did you get the job you have today?
What advice would you have for me as a student who wants to eventually be in a role
similar to yours?
For more information about Informational Interviews and how to set one up check out
our Informational Interview Handout (pdf — 197 kb). You also can schedule a meeting with one of our CDI Staff for assistance with finding a professional to interview.
