Thinking about establishing your network in phases can be a helpful way to approach building career relationships, especially for those just graduating or wanting to make a career pivot. You’ll explore different career paths, become involved in the areas that interest you and connect with the professionals and peers you meet along the way.
There can still be uncertainty about what networking actually looks like. I’ll describe three networking activities to try and give some best practices to keep in mind.
Building a Bond
Experiential learning (including activities like job simulation and internships) provides real world experience and positions you to learn sector relevant skills and work directly with professionals in the field. Finding opportunities for formal experiential learning can be tricky though.
A parallel form of experiential learning is volunteering. In a career context, becoming actively involved in a professional organization, non-profit, student group, employee resource group, or another form of extracurricular work can be a valuable, hands-on method for developing relevant skills while forming strong connections.
Why I like volunteering as a method for networking so much is that you aren’t focusing on the underlying implication of networking (“I need a job”), rather you’re contributing to an external, meaningful goal while fostering deep connections. These relationships can be leveraged down the road because working with someone and rekindling a connection is much more powerful than cold emailing a stranger.
Becoming part of an organization can bring benefits on its own, but the real value is in you taking an active role in participating and creating. Many professional societies host conferences or seminars, have a leadership team, and create tangible resources and content for their members. Find an aspect of the organizing activities that excites you and contributes to your own skills development.
By working directly with people you’re building social capital and trust. Volunteering provides a built in community that can support your career, provide resources, and allow you to become immersed in the field.
Connect with Coffee Chats
Coffee chats, or informational interviews, are generally one-on-one meetups (in person or online). This chat format is a way to ask questions and get insights from someone working in a field or job you’re curious about. It is not intended to be a place to ask for a job nor is it an actual job interview.
As I was writing and finishing my thesis, and not so quietly panicking about what to do post-graduation, I had over 25 coffee chats in a 5 month period. I reached out to panelists from events I had attended whose jobs sounded interesting. I connected with industry professionals I had worked with in my extracurricular roles. I talked with department alumni who had graduated a few years ahead of me.
Many of these existing connections were strengthened, and they forwarded me to someone else they knew. I gathered a web of connections and knowledge. I was able to start putting some pieces together and clarifying my own potential career paths.
Start by reaching out to someone you know (even tangentially) and follow the threads of connection from there. It can be daunting to send a message to someone out of the blue, but if you have a shared history or a mutual connection it will be much easier.
Even without an existing tie, many people are open to having coffee chats and offering advice. Be respectful in your reach out methods, keep it short and clear:
Mention connections or where you saw/met them
Why they stood out to you
Your request
Once they agree to talk, prepare ahead. Of course, be open to new topics that may arise, but you are driving the conversation so be intentional about the information you collect. Having prepared topics ahead of time can help if you’re nervous and also show your dedication and interest.
Although they should do most of the talking (& you most of the question asking), don’t forget to share about yourself. They can’t help you if they don’t know who you are and what you’re looking for. Approaching informational interviews with curiosity, respect, and engagement is key.
Roaming the (networking) Room
When people think of networking, they often think of those inherently awkward happy hour mixers and professional mingles. Some people thrive in these environments, but many (myself included) find them overwhelming and superficial. They can have benefits though, so don’t write them off entirely.
I’ve found mentally preparing ahead of time a helpful way to focus my anxiety.
What are you looking for from this event?
New connections, career advice, job openings, internships, better understanding of the field?
What phase of networking are you in?
Exploring? Engaging? Strengthening?
Having these goals in mind can help direct your own elevator pitch and talking points, and more importantly questions you want to ask others.
I try to use these events as information gathering missions. What’s the industry gossip and what topics keep coming up? Who attended and who are the big players? What do I want to follow up on: did someone share a new certificate program or event to look up?
The second I arrive at a networking event, I have a desire to find a corner to hide in or latch on to one interesting person and not meet anyone else. Both are counterproductive to attending these events.
I can’t say I do all of these all the time, but I’ve learned a few strategies to help overcome my shy tendencies:
Act like the host
Instead of blending into the wall yourself, find the other people on the outskirts and be welcoming and inviting
Wear something that stands out
Black is very chic, but wearing a bright colour or striking accessory will offer a conversation starter for others and makes it easier for people to approach you
Come with a buddy
Have a partner in crime to wander the sea of strangers with for mutual support and to hype each other up as you are introduced to new acquaintances
Find an area of the room that’s your home base
Position yourself near the food or bar or high traffic area and have people come to you
Know your boundaries
Have a set time to check in with yourself and give yourself permission to leave when ready
Following a big event, reflect on how it went, what you learned and who you want to follow up with. During the event, have business cards or your LinkedIn profile barcode available to connect. Between conversations, take notes on topics to research later. Spend some time sifting through the information you gathered and decide any next steps to take.
Networking is relationship building. Focus on connecting and see where it leads.