Although networking can seem intimidating, it is one of the most effective ways to find a job. Often, if you know someone who works in an organization that is hiring, you have an increased likelihood of at least getting an interview with the organization. When I’ve hired people in the past, I’ve been more likely to interview candidates who have been recommended by my colleagues. My colleague is not going to recommend someone they think wouldn’t be great for the organization because in a 
way it would reflect on them. First, I’d like to share a networking success story and then give suggestions for how you can put networking to work for you.
The other day I was talking with a colleague who told me about a friend of hers that graduated in May and was still looking for a job. Her friend was not having luck with her traditional job search (submitting resumes for positions she found posted online), so she suggested that she try networking to find a job, in addition to her traditional job search. The recent graduate reached out to her personal network, letting them know her area of interest and that she was looking for a job. In addition, she utilized LinkedIn to contact fellow UW alumni that graduated with the same major that she did and lived in a city on the west coast that she was interested in working in. After contacting UW alumni via LinkedIn, she set up meetings over coffee with four alumni and flew out to the west coast to meet the alumni. She landed her dream job after one of the alumni she met with over coffee gave her resume to their friend who worked for an organization looking to hire someone. The position was never posted, so had she not networked she would have never known the position was open. This is a great success story of networking!
Regardless of what type of networking you chose to engage in make sure to be professional in all your interactions, especially when contacting people you don’t know well. You can take a direct or indirect approach when networking. The direct approach is asking for a job and the indirect approach involves asking to meet with someone for an informational interview. During the information interview you can learn more about your field of interest, ask for advice on resume writing, and let them know that you are looking for a job. Make sure to share your interest areas with those that you speak to, rather than simply saying, “I’m looking for a job.” Try something like “I recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison with a major in ___. As an undergrad I worked at ___, so I’m really interested in working for a __ type of organization. Do you have any recommendations of organizations to contact?” Use good judgement when communicating with people you don’t know well, be safe and meet in a public place. Also, make sure you have an updated and professional resume that you can give to people if they ask you for it.
While networking can be extremely successful, it can feel intimidating to do. I’ve included some suggestions below on how you can network to find a job.
-BuckyNet: Make sure that in your BuckyNet Profile your ‘Status’ is listed as ‘Seeking Full Time Employment’. By doing this employers will know if you’re looking for a job and be able to contact you regarding open positions.
-Personal Network: Let everyone in your personal network know your interest area and that you’re looking for a job. Your personal network includes friends, family, professors, academic/career advisors, previous employers, etc.
-Wisconsin Alumni Association: WAA has chapters and affiliates across Wisconsin, the United States, and the globe. You can attend alumni events in a chapter/affiliate in your area or reach out to alumni in areas that you are interested in living and working in.
-LinkedIn: You can connect with fellow alumni or people who work with an organization you’re interested in working with.
-Volunteer: If you have the opportunity, volunteer with an organization you would like to work with. Your time volunteering can serve as a job interview because you can show the organization your interest in what they do and the skills that you can bring to the organization.
-Professional Conferences/Organizations: Reach out to those in your field of interest by attending professional conferences and professional organization meetings. This increases your likelihood of finding out about jobs from others in your field.
Best of luck with networking!
