Networking
Networking is all about meeting people, learning from them and having them learn about you. A good network can make all the difference in your career success.
Networking - What is it, how will it benefit me and how do I start?
Networking is part of conducting career and job research. Networking is all about meeting people, learning from them and having them learn about you. A good network of contacts can make all the difference in your career success. Consider these scenarios:
How do you begin if you don't know anyone? Where do you look for people in a profession of interest? Here are some good resources:
Professional associations
Almost every career field has at least one organization of professionals who get together regularly to discuss issues, learn, and exchange information about the business. Here are just a few examples:
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)
The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology
American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE)
Connecticut Maritime Association
How to find the association for your professional interest?
Search websites, speak to professors, or a Career Center advisor. Most associations offer free or discounted student memberships, access to "members only" sections of their websites, publications, meetings, and events. Remember - these events are attended by people you may aspire to become! Meeting people with whom you have a common interest is easier than meeting someone who may not share a thing with you!
What should you say?
If you are contacting someone by phone or email, one easy thing to ask for is information about careers. You could request a conversation with someone to ask them about their career. This conversation is called an informational interview. Usually it is brief (30 - 50 minutes), and in this situation you are the person asking the questions - you are interviewing a person for information about their career. Listening to people's personal perceptions of their work can provide you with an intimate understanding of an occupation. You can learn about the work environment, the rewards and frustrations of the job, as well as the personal qualities needed to succeed in the field.
Informational interviewing is a research technique used by people to uncover occupational information not available through other sources. Therefore, it is important that you have a sense of the type of work performed, current issues of interest, and the jargon used in an occupation before asking someone to sit down and talk with you. Remember, these are people who are kindly setting aside time in their busy work schedules to provide you with information. Do not waste their time by asking questions, which could easily be answered by doing a little homework.
Be careful - networking and informational interviewing do not necessarily or directly lead to a job interview or a job (although your chances of these results improve significantly with a strong network). That means it is rarely appropriate to use the session to inquire about job openings with the organization. If you try to do this, you may actually hurt your chances for employment with the company and ruin things for those seeking informational interviews in the future.
Structure of an informational interview
These conversations could be conducted via telephone, or in person. Regardless of venue, be prepared! Do your H.W. ahead of time on the career, the occupation, and if necessary, the company. Prepare a list of questions. Ask open-ended questions to encourage discussion. There are three types of questions that you might wish to ask during an informational interview: questions about yourself, the interviewee, and the job or career itself.
Questions about yourself : Example: "As a soon-to-be new graduate, I'm worried that an employer will expect me to know everything there is to know. Based on what you've seen from my resume, and what you know about me, do you think I have enough experience for the entry level position?
Questions about the interviewee: These questions usually elicit personal or subjective perceptions on the part of the person you are speaking with, so be careful not to interpret such responses as though they are the "final word" on the subject. It is important for you to analyze answers for their relevance to your situation. Example: "If you had the opportunity, what would you change about your job?"
Questions about the occupation: Example: "What are the intangibles that make someone successful in this profession?"
For a personal meeting, make sure to follow these guidelines:
- Dress appropriately. This doesn't mean wear a $300 suit, but make sure you look presentable.
- Arrive early. If someone is blocking part of his/her work schedule to see you, the least you can do is to arrive on time. By planning to arrive 15-20 minutes early, you will absorb unexpected delays.
- Encourage the interviewee to talk. Don't monopolize the session by talking about your ideas and feelings. You will learn more by asking questions, listening to what the other person has to say, and analyzing and synthesizing the information for your purposes.
- Appear interested. You always want to make the interviewee feel that you are paying attention to what he/she is saying. Make eye contact and use attentive body language to encourage that person to elaborate on his/her thoughts.
- Be aware of non-verbal communication. Does the person you are interviewing appear bored, or angry? Pay attention! He/she may be saying one thing, while communicating something entirely different non-verbally.
- Relax. Remember, you are the one conducting the interview. Both you and the person you are speaking with will enjoy the conversation more if the atmosphere is relaxed and informal.
- Take notes. Since this is not a job interview, you can feel free to write down any information you wish to review later. It would, however, be considerate to ask the permission of the interviewee before you begin.
- Ask for additional contacts. Most people will be pleased to supply you with the names of others who can provide information on the career(s) you are researching.
- Send a "Thank You" note. It is always appropriate to let someone know that you appreciate his/her assistance.
