Network with Professionals & Others
Network? Consistently talk with people, in a professional manner, about your career interests, experiences, and specific goals. Ask them questions about their career and their experiences. Exchange contact information. Stay in touch with them.
Professionals? People who are currently employed in a career field in which you are interested.
Others? Everyone else. A great way to connect with professionals is through your coworkers and supervisors, friends and family, other students, student services professionals, faculty, alumni, members of your community, civic groups, and religious organizations.
Informational interviews allow you to quickly gain first-hand knowledge about a job by interviewing a person who does that job. This is called an informational interview because you're only seeking information, not a job. How can you find someone to interview and what should you ask them? Learn more!
Job shadowing is following someone around at work for anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Learn more!
Mentors can help you discover and develop skills you'll need to succeed. Check out How Mentors Can Help You and Mentor Me.
Networking Basics from MonsterTrak:
- Networking Letters 101. Networking can uncover hidden job opportunities. Learn how to write an opening letter that will help reveal them.
- Network on Campus. There’s no better career booster than networking, and it’s easier than you think. Check out these ways to use your school as a venue.
- Networking for the Shy. The good news is it's possible to network in comfortable, structured ways.
- Prepare your elevator speech is written from the point of view of someone who is applying for a particular job. You can prepare one that you can use to network now. An elevator speech is a self-marketing pitch -- a 30-second spiel that highlights your accomplishments and goals. Two questions to answer as you write your pitch: Who are you? What are one or two of your immediate career-relevant goals? State your name, school, major, and a few accomplishments that are noteworthy enough to appear on your current resume. As for your immediate career goals, are you interested in finding a career-relevant part-time job or internship? A professional you could interview or job shadow or who could become a mentor? Check out these three brief videos for inspiration - start thinking about your elevator pitch, a winning elevator pitch for a library, and an elevator pitch from a law school intern.
- Informational interviewing is a neglected job search tool.
How can you connect with a professional in a career that interests you?
- Network with friends, relatives, students, and others and let them know your accomplishments and goals.
- Volunteer in a career-relevant setting
- Get a career-relevant part-time job or internship.
- Participate in a career-relevant student group or professional organization.
- Contact IU Alumni - you can search the database by profession and email them to set up an informational interview!
