You’ve heard it all your life: It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. That’s the way the job search works.
Most jobs are never advertised. Most people get their jobs through their personal and professional contacts. That means that networking is a very important strategy when you are looking for a job.
Purposes of Networking
- To gather information and advice about organizations or schools in which you have an interest
- To ask for and receive help from members of your network about your approach to your job search and your application materials
- To obtain referrals to other people who can give you additional helpful information
Sources of Contacts for Your Network
- Faculty and campus contacts
- Current and former employers
- Other students
- Friends and family members
- Current and former co-workers
- Professional contacts
Steps in Building and Maintaining Your Network
- Determine your career or educational objective.
- Prepare and circulate your job-search materials among your network contacts.
- Communicate with people who can help you achieve your objective.
- Keep people in your network informed about your job-search status.
- Keep good records and update them frequently.
For more ideas about networking techniques in the job-search process, visit the Career and Experiential Learning Lab in Lucina 235 to use these resources and more!
-
A Foot in the Door
-
Hot to Work a Room
-
It’s Who You Know!
-
Make Your Contacts Count
-
The Networking Survival Guide