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Looking for a job, especially while unemployed or underemployed, is stressful and daunting. There are so many online job boards and half the listings either seem fake or are actually fake.
There are conflicting statistics on how important networking is. Some experts say 85% of jobs are filled via networking while others argue that figure is more anecdotal than scientific.
No matter the percentage or figures, everyone agrees that networking is crucial for finding and building a career. Also, you can always network to feel unstuck; you never know what opportunities await.
Use these tips to find meaningful connections that will actually lead to employment and professional opportunities.
The REDC at Yavapai College offers several courses with all the details to help you network:
Our team curated online, self-based courses for in-depth professional development and upskilling. Check out our full course catalogue.
1. Solidify What You’re Looking For
“What are you looking for in a relationship?” is a common question to ask on a date, but have you considered that question for your career? Having a clear understanding of what you want professionally will help you make the connections that will lead to meaningful work.
This is difficult for people who are breaking into a new career or just graduating from college. Consider tasks you enjoy and look around at job postings. Chances are, there are common entry-level positions you could be pursuing.
Some career paths are less straightforward than others. If you’re lost on where to start, our career profiles guide you through everything you need to know about a specific career path. The REDC has resources designed to help job searchers find the perfect fit.
2. Reach Out
You can’t network without putting yourself out there at least a little bit. You don’t need to treat this process like a sales pitch. We’ve all gotten the MLM invites from high school classmates—don’t be like them.
Reach out for networking opportunities in as many ways as possible.
- LinkedIn direct message
- Cold calls
- Emailing the company directly
- Attending events
If you have someone’s phone number, give them a text or call, if your only point of contact is LinkedIn, send them a message. In some cases, you don’t even need to have a point of contact. Most businesses have a contact form on their site. It might have a general purpose, but you can still put a bug in their ear by messaging them this way.
Be Intentional
When reaching out, don’t neglect the people working the job you want. You can glean a lot of insight from them.
Being intentional about who you’re reaching out to means finding people in a position similar to what you’d like to have or a workplace that you want to be a part of. It also means finding the people who are hiring for those positions.
Start Small
You never know who knows who. A connection you currently have could be connected to someone who could help you break into your dream job. Ask the people you’re already connected with:
- Current coworkers and supervisors
- Past employers or professors
- People you went to school with
Be Authentic
Networking isn’t about selling yourself; it’s about making meaningful professional connections.
Be authentic and honest about what you’re looking for, your skills, and how you can fit into their team. Your personality should shine, but don’t downplay your experience.
Be Curious
When you do reach out, do so with a genuine curiosity about how you can help their business.
Learn more about their business and what they’re trying to accomplish. If you don’t see a way you can help them achieve their goals, encourage them and reach out to people in your network who could be helpful.
3. Meet In Person
Connecting online might not be enough—get out of your comfort zone and try to meet in person.
Meeting face-to-face while networking improves your ability to communicate yourself to potential employers, mentors, or connections. Ask if they can meet at a local coffee shop so you can ask them questions.
4. Talk Less
While on a call or meeting over coffee, let the other people talk more than you. This means you’ll be asking the questions so think ahead of time about some of the things you want to know about what the person does and how their job operates.
Related Article: What is Professional Development?
5. Attend Events
There are two ways you can think about while attending a job fair:
- What jobs are available
- Who will be attending
While you could go into the fair hoping to find the job you’re looking for, consider approaching it as networking first.
Talk with the business leaders that are present and find out more about what they do. Are there any pain points they currently face? What kinds of customers do they serve? Be curious about what they do, let them talk, ask questions, and try to make friends.
When you approach a fair like that, hiring managers might just create a job for you.
The REDC runs and supports various job fairs throughout the year. Check our events page to find out what’s coming up next!
6. Provide Help
You can create meaningful connections with people by offering help or insight with small tasks. This could be contracted work, a super simple task, or insight.
Don’t offer to work for free, but small things here and there will prove your skills to potential employers.
7. Invest in the Long-Term
You may be networking specifically to find a job now, but there are more benefits to networking than the immediate results. If you have a network of professionals and job creators, you’ll be able to tap into that any time you need to find a job down the road, get job advice, land a client for your business, or want to refer a friend.
Networking is all about making connections, and the value of those connections compounds over time. So, don’t only look for the immediate. Try to find long-term relationships you can build over time.
8. Stay Connected
Everyone is busy. If you’re waiting a long time to hear back from someone, they likely forgot. Shoot them another email to remind them you exist.
Persistence goes a long way when looking for a job and meaningful networking opportunities. Sometimes it takes a long time to get your foot into the door. Don’t give up, but don’t be desperate. Send gentle reminders that you can’t wait to meet with them.
Once connections are made, don’t let them go stale. Check up on the people in your network through simple DMs or comments on their posts.
Why is Networking Important?
The world runs on connections. The business world is no exception. Meeting the right people and finding quality talent is vital for every business and professional.
Think about the Cal Arts class in the 1970s that would go on to create smash box office hits like Beauty and the Beast. Toy Story, The Brave Little Toaster, and so much more. Many of these people are where they are now because of the connections they made at school.
Not all of us went to college and found the perfect group of misfits that would go on to create commercial, creative, and personal success, we can all network to find connections that everyone can benefit from.
Start Now with the REDC
Career networking is something you can start today, and the REDC can help you find meaningful connections. Our career services include career exploration, readiness, and opportunities.
Reach out to our career services team to start finding your dream job today.