Networking For Success Barnard Career Development

Why Network?  Talking to or contacting people you know to find job leads can be the most effective way to find a job  Learn more about a field  Discover new opportunities and resources  A majority of job vacancies are never advertised  Networking is, in many cases, the sole way to hear about certain opportunities

Consider the People You Know  Friends  Relatives  Neighbors  Friend’s parents  Co-workers  Professors  Supervisors  Club members  Classmates  Speakers  Academic advisor  list contacts  Internet affinity groups  Conferences/trainings  Professional organizations This is your chance to reconnect; the earlier the better!

Reach Out to Every Contact You Know Tell them:  You are graduating/soon graduating/class year  You are looking for opportunities to gain experience in ____, and would also be open to_____  Would like referrals to any person they may know who could provide you with information *Goal is to establish relationship prior to job search; check in early and regularly

Strategize to Meet New Contacts Reach out to:  Contacts that are referred to you  Barnard Alumnae  Contacts you find through research

Informational Interviewing  Interviews you conduct in order to find out more about a particular career path/organization  YOU conduct the interview  Never ask for a job

Request for Informational Interview Dear Mr. Davis, My name is Kim Smith and I am a senior majoring in economics at Barnard College. I am in the process of gathering information about career opportunities in financial services. According to the information listed on the Alumnae Network you are currently working at ____ in their investments department. I have always been interested in investment banking, and I was hoping you could provide me with some insight into how you transitioned from your liberal arts career into the field of investment banking. Perhaps we can meet over coffee to chat about the field. If so, I will follow up to schedule a time and place that is convenient for you. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you. Warm Regards, Kim Smith Who you are Reason for contacting Who referred you More information about you Intentions to meet *You can attach your resume to this message

Conducting Your Informational Interview ORGANIZATION What are the benefits/challenges of working at a small organization? POSITION What is a typical day and work week like in your position? OCCUPATIONAL/ORGANIZATIONAL INTERESTS What attracted you to the position? WORKING CONDITIONS Do you have any travel obligations? OUTLOOK OF THE COMPANY/FIELD Have there been any noticeable trends in the industry? JOB PREPARATION How well is my background suited to this type of work? ADVICE/RECOMMENDATIONS Can you suggest other people I should reach out to and organizations to join? (These can also be attached to your scheduling the meeting)

Following Up  Write a thank you letter within 24 hours  Reach out to the suggested contacts in a timely manner (Reach out to these contacts the same way; mention who referred you)

Social Networking  These are online communities of people who share interests and/or activities  When used appropriately, these can be a wonderful networking tool

This is a business-oriented social networking site that is used for professional networking  Create “connections” with people you know and get introduced to someone at an organization of interest  Find people for informational interviews  Look at the job history of people you admire  Discover who you know at particular organizations

 Follow various organizations and companies to stay current on news and events  Follow industry experts and employees of selected companies  Put out tweets about the kinds of jobs and leads you are looking for

 Make sure your page is appropriate  Privacy settings  Join groups having to do with networking or professional fields MAKE SURE YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE DOESN’T HURT YOU!

Maintaining Your Relationships  Follow up periodically; not just about jobs (Give people updates on your status/progress)  Be a resource - this is not a one way street; send opportunities about jobs and other events (i.e. conferences, books, professional development, etc)  Keep track who and where people are (Use computer databases, digital organizers, address books, etc.)  Attend and participate in meetings regularly with your professional organizations or other affinity groups

Questions?