How to Network (Without Going to Networking Events)
Posted on Tuesday, December 19th, 2017
You’ve probably heard by now that the very best way to find job opportunities is through networking. In fact, it’s estimated that 70 percent of jobs are found by networking, as opposed to using online job boards. What does that mean for you?
It means that taking steps to grow your personal network is the best way to find awesome co-op opportunities, and that doing so will give you so many more opportunities once you graduate. Your network is the single best resource you have for job hunting. So how do you grow it?
Traditionally, articles like this will recommend that you attend networking events. These can be super valuable: you get to meet all kinds of people in your industry as you mingle over hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. You can make some awesome connections this way.
But for some people, networking events are the opposite of fun or useful. Depending on your personality, they may not be the best environment for you to shine and meet awesome people. And that’s why this post exists: to show you other actionable, useful ways to grow your network.
Use Social Media to Your Advantage
There’s a reason that LinkedIn is such an important part of your job hunting toolkit. Used passively, it’s a great place for your professional presence to reside online—a living resume that employers can check with all the ease of a few mouse clicks. But used actively, LinkedIn can become your vehicle to career success. How?
LinkedIn is a way for you, as a job seeker, to identify organizations or individuals you’d like to work with, and (and this is the real magic) easily reach out to them. By reading the discussions happening in LinkedIn groups, to scoping out the people connected to people you know, you can start to identify some people of interest.
Once you have those people identified, reach out. Send a connection request with a personalized note—something that explains why you want to connect with them (but don’t say it’s because you’re job hunting!) and where you heard their name. Here’s a good template:
“Hello [name of connection]. I read your recent [blog post/talk/article] and thought it was really interesting. I’m just starting out in [your industry] and would love to follow your work on LinkedIn. Thank you, and have a great day.”
Easy, right? It’s personalized, professional, and polite. It could spark a conversation. And now you have them as a contact, so they’re seeing all the great things you share, and you have an easy avenue to get in touch if you ever want to chat further. Which brings us to…
Learn to Love the Informational Interview
The informational interview is one of the most powerful tools you have as a job seeker, which may seem odd since the whole point of an informational interview isn’t to get a job.
An informational interview is when you reach out to someone in your industry as ask to take them out for coffee. The goal of this coffee meeting is for you to ask some smart, well thought-out questions about the industry, the person’s career trajectory, and getting started in your own career. Professionals are often very willing to share their work story with you, and you can learn a lot from them.
How do you make it happen? Start with an email introducing yourself and what you do. Let them know that you’re a student looking for some guidance in the industry, and that if they have time you’d love to grab a coffee with them. If they say yes, be sure to show up early and bring a pen and notepad. Remember—you’re there to learn, not ask them for a job.
After the interview, send a follow-up email to thank them. You’ve made a connection, and that’s great. Now that’s a connection you can nurture, and which may lead to job opportunities. It’s also a great way to learn and start establishing yourself as a young professional.
Embrace the Network You Already Have
Now, the reason you’re reading this article is probably because you think you have a small or non-existent network at the moment, so embracing the network you already have may seem impossible. But that’s not necessarily true.
First, think of friends and family who could make connections for you. Your parents, friends of your parents, your friends’ parents and your friends’ parents’ friends—you get the idea. Talk to them and see if they can help you make some connections in your industry. You never know who’s in your line of work until you ask.
If you’re a student, you’re in even more luck. Talk to your professors about building your network, and you could find some awesome connections. At Algonquin College, your teachers are industry professionals, and lots of them know loads of people in the city to set you up with. They’re a great source of information and direction. All you need to do is start the conversation.
Networking takes creativity, time, and a little bit of bravery on your part, but the rewards are so worth it. From learning lots about your industry, to getting insight about your career path, to finding awesome work experiences, networking is the key to getting started. And you can do it all without ever having to go to a big networking event.
Want to learn more about cooperative education at Algonquin College? Explore our website, send us an email at coop@algonquincollege.com, or follow us on Twitter!