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It’s not what you know…

matthew nelson Avatarmatthew nelson
June 26, 2006


I’m sure you’ve heard the adage, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” And you probably know someone for whom that was the case; their parent/sibling/family friend hooked them up with a sweet job while you busted your butt looking for a summer internship. The term networking, to most people, is this nebulous/vague concept of just hitting up friends and family members for jobs. Because of that, many people are turned off from the concept; they view it as shallow, awkward, and often completely useless. Many people don’t have contacts in the field they would like to get into, so they don’t ever start. And so, in disgust, they give up on networking as a viable job-search option. That simple thought process can be one of the most debilitating and paralyzing things you can do in your job search. I implore you to reframe how you view networking.
Instead of this superficial definition of networking, think of it in different terms: Identifying people who are in a position to help you in your career path, and then just taking the initiative to ask for help. Very few people have reached where they are today without any help, and many want to repay the favors they received along the way. Further, most people love talking about themselves (some people like it too much). What it boils down to, networking can be as simple as asking someone about their job or career, and what advice they would have for you as you begin your job search. We career counselors even have a name for this: informational interviewing.
If a student came to me and asked how to become a career counselor, I could tell him/her exactly what degrees they should consider, what internships to look for, where jobs are posted, and even introduce him/her to people in the field who might be able to provide experience and jobs. Unfortunately, I can’t do the same for every student who comes into my office. I know some things about careers in banking, publishing, advertising, and marketing. But for the best advice, let’s ask the people who are doing the very thing you want to do.
Sure, it can certainly help if someone you know can get you a job, but that doesn’t have to be the only definition of networking. One of the best things you can do as you look for a job is to simply talk to people whose jobs interest you, and ask them for help and advice. It’s usually much less awkward than pestering those around you for a job, and can be really fun as well.

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