Networking: Get Connected and Get a Job!

By Cynthia Panton

Coordinator

Cleveland State University

The Career Services Center

Networking has become the new buzzword for job hunters competing in today's tight job market. Everybody knows somebody, but how can that be turned into an internship or full-time job?

 

The first step is to define what networking is in career terms. Getting connected with the right people who can assist you in finding jobs is the usual definition. But are all employees of a company or organization network-savvy? Not necessarily. Where do you find the right people who can help you become part of the job network?

 

There are several tried-and-true methods for finding and successfully using networking contacts. Here are a few ideas:

 

•  Join a student professional organization prior to graduation. Never underestimate the power of working together with fellow students on projects and events. Professionals who work closely with these organizations rank these students highly for future career positions. They also know each other and are often willing to refer students to other firms.

 

•  Volunteer with community organizations. You never know who will be working alongside you in a volunteer capacity! Many corporate and community leaders place a high value on volunteer activities. Not only do they encourage their employees to volunteer, but the leaders are often found working these events themselves.

 

•  Talk to your professors. Sometimes it is easy to think of school and work as separate entities. Professors have academic knowledge, but they also possess strong links to the business and civic communities. Don't hesitate to talk to them and ask them for names of professionals with whom you can talk about your career aspirations.

 

•  Utilize the services of your college career center. Career services offices work at developing strong ties to the employment community. The office can be a rich resource for you to find the names of networking contacts in your field. Most career offices also provide resume referral and on-campus recruiting services, as well as targeted events.

 

•  Attend career fairs and other special career events. This is networking at its finest! Career and job fairs provide you with an opportunity to talk to many potential employers in one place. Even if you are not in the job market, these events allow you to meet those people in your field who make hiring decisions. Gather their business cards for future reference.

 

•  Become a member of your alumni association. People like to hire people they know is an old adage, but a true one. By joining your alumni association, you will be meeting with those alumni who are already working in the community. Many of them will be in a position to hire and will look favorably on students from their alma mater. Most alumni association fees are relatively low, so it is a good investment right after graduation.

 

•  Complete information interviews. Although this is becoming more common, it is still a good way to find out about your field and how to find that internship or first job. Information interview contacts can often put you in touch with others in the same field for future job openings.

The above is an excerpt from The Last Job Search Guide You'll Ever Need: How to Find and Get the Job or Internship of Your Dreams, which is available for sale for $19.85 in our bookstore or $27.00 at Amazon.com but for free to those who subscriber to our free career newsletter. This hot new book contains job search secrets of the most experienced, most knowledgeable and most respected career experts. Learn career planning, job hunting tools and tactics, interviewing, cover letter and resume writing (lots of samples!), networking, and how to find an internship. Written by 149 career experts. To receive a free copy, subscribe to our free career newsletter.

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