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Did you know 85% of jobs are obtained through networking? And many jobs are never even publicly posted. But what is networking? Networking involves utilizing personal connections to get noticed by employers, but it can take many shapes — one-on-one, at a career fair, online, over time or over coffee. Remember, anyone in your life could be a connector for your career: recruiters, professors, classmates, alumni or friends.
1. Network on LinkedIn: Connect with people from your field, share your digital résumé, find jobs and follow company news. A LinkedIn profile is your online professional footprint, so now is the time to evaluate what you want to include. Here is an overview for creating a great LinkedIn profile and a LinkedIn profile checklist.
2. Network Through Career Expos and Events: Register for Career Expos, panels, presentations, employer information sessions and more on Handshake. But don’t just go to these events, introduce yourself to the employers and follow up. Online panels and webinars are also available. Check out steps for career fair success.
3. Conduct Informational Interviews: An informational interview is a conversation with a professional who can give you insight into a company, position or career path. This can be a human resources representative, a recent graduate working at a company or an OSU alum — anyone who can serve as a connector. You can call or email employers and politely ask for an informational interview or “to come by and introduce myself.” If they accept, show up looking professional with insightful questions, and be prepared to talk about your qualifications. You are NOT interviewing for a real job, it’s just a meet-and-greet that builds a relationship and potentially opens future doors at the company. Read tips for informational interviews and job shadows.
4. Participate in a Job Shadow: Shadows are an opportunity to observe a professional in your field or position of interest. Sometimes seeing an organization’s physical space and team environment for yourself can make all the difference. The time varies depending on availability and type of position — some shadows last an hour, others several days. Did you know that Oregon State offers an official job shadow program with a pre-selected list of interested companies? Learn more about being part of the OSU Job Shadow Program. These shadows last a half or full workday.
5. Monitor your online presence. Remember to check your privacy settings and/or avoid saying anything on social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) that could make an employer think twice about hiring you. These could include political views, pictures of illegal behavior, online aggression, etc.
6. Network with Oregon State alumni on LinkedIn. Discover what OSU alumni are doing. Search for “Oregon State University” in the search bar and click on the “Alumni” tab. Then research job paths and companies related to people from your major or program of study. You can reach out to fellow Beavers and ask for advice, introductions and recommendations.
Sample Outreach Email: “Hello, my name is XXX. I’m a junior at Oregon State majoring in computer science. As a fellow Beaver, I’m really interested in your path from student to software developer working on XXX. Would it be possible to set up a 15 minute phone call to ask you about how you got to where you are and any advice you might have? Thank you for your consideration! Regards, XXXX”
7. Network Through OSU Contacts: Go to your favorite professor’s office hours and pick their brain about the industry. Ask if they know anyone hiring and if they could make an introduction for you. Talk with your academic advisor, Ecampus success coach or college-specific career advisor. Keep in touch with friends who are hired at companies of interest and ask them how they can connect you. Use OSU Connections, the OSU Alumni Association's online networking tool, to connect with other Beavers in your field.
8. Network During a Job Search: Don’t hesitate to make personal contact with companies of interest. For example, call or email a hiring manager to ask questions about a job before applying. Follow up after submitting an application to inquire about interview timelines. Send thank you notes or emails after an interview. All of these methods do one thing: keep you in the employer’s mind. In a competitive and often digitized job market, the personal touch matters.
9. Network Through Professional Associations and Conferences: Being a member of or attending a conference for an industry association for your field is a great idea (e.g. American Geosciences Institute, Association for Business Communication). This is especially true for graduate students — many in the academic field find research collaborators and make contacts that lead to jobs. If you attend a conference, try to meet as many people as you can, go out to lunch with contacts, collect business cards and follow up with them after the event. Many industry associations also host job boards and provide career information on their websites.
10. Network Through Student Organizations: Oregon State offers over 300 student clubs and organizations. Many of these bring in industry speakers, visit employer sites and perform service activities that can be great for networking. Find the right student organization for your career interests.
"I’ve been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to connect with campus partners through my current role as career coordinator of Career Development Center Initiatives and former role as a strategic initiatives intern. These networking opportunities, along with the guidance I’ve received from my former and current mentors, have been astronomical in my advancement as a student employee.
Growing up as a first-generation student, I didn’t have an inherent advising network simply because my parents never completed college and thus could not advise me in that aspect. Thanks to my experience in the CDC, I’ve built skills in networking, collaborating and advocating for myself and others while solidifying skills in written and verbal communication."
— Thao Trinh, Class of 2021
Majors: Biohealth Sciences; Economics
So you’ve made that contact. You attended the career fair, you asked for the informational interview, but now what? Remember, this is a two-way conversation; it’s about learning, listening and getting to know someone. You should talk about yourself and your interests to a degree, but this is not the time for a rehearsed speech. Focus on learning from the other person.
Relational questions should be used for engaging with alumni, networking contacts at a company or meeting an employer in an informal context, for example.
Questions for recruiters would be used for an informational interview or meeting a company at a career fair with someone that has a direct role in hiring, for example.
