1.2 Networking

Networking

Networking is about meeting people with more experience and connections than you have in a given field. It’s also about actively listening to what they can offer in terms of advice, leads, and connections. Networking is about being friendly with people who know other people. It doesn’t have to be weird; relax and don’t try so hard.

Is there someone in your chosen industry whom you admire? See if you can find their contact information and ask if they have time to meet with you for a coffee chat. Most people are happy to share their knowledge, experience, and advice with newcomers to their field. Plan how you can introduce yourself, and have questions prepared. Reviewing current industry news can provide useful ideas for relevant conversation starters. Why do you want to meet this person? What do you hope to gain from the encounter?

Family and friends

Who do you know? You have friends; however, most of your friends are probably around your age, and may be facing similar challenges beginning their career path. While you and your friends can provide each other with moral support during the transition from school, you may not be able to provide much support in terms of networking towards your career.

You also have family, and some older family members may form the foundation of your network. Perhaps a parent or other family member is looking for assistance with their own business. While this might be a great place to earn some money and add to your skills and experience, it might not be the career you had in mind, but they probably know other people with businesses that may be more in line with your career hopes. Do any of them have an opening, even part-time? Your initial network may rely on your family network. Who do they know or work with?

Post-secondary career office

Most post-secondary schools have career offices for current students and recent graduates. Depending on your school, this service might be available to you for several years after graduation. TMU has various Career Development Resources As well as providing workshops and other events, the Career Centre also offers useful advice and publications, as well as one-on-one advising on career opportunities.

Career sites

Some of the websites in the previous section also provide opportunities for those seeking employment to post their resumes. This is a way to let the job come to you, instead of you having to chase the job! While this passive approach may sound appealing, weigh the pros and cons before posting.

The main advantage is posting your resume on a recruiter website greatly increases your visibility and exposure to potential employers. Posting can also streamline your application process, allowing you to apply for more jobs from a centralized portal.

The primary disadvantage of posting your resume on a recruiter website is the privacy risk. Review the privacy settings if you post. Consider how much information you’re willing to share. The reputable sites suggested in the previous section actively prioritize security; however, even the most secure server can be hacked. Another possible problem is being overwhelmed by results. How will you manage your inbox effectively if you receive multiple competing queries or offers? Finally, these platforms tend to be depersonalized. With no personal interaction, it’s hard to stand out from the crowd.

Career fairs

Walking up to strangers and introducing yourself can be intimidating. Being prepared can help ease some of the uncertainty. What are you hoping to come away with? What are your expectations?  Attending with a friend or two can ease the anxiety. Rather than starting by walking up to the celebrity in the room, why not start with someone who’s standing awkwardly and seems similarly unsure of themselves? Maybe you can form an alliance and help each other past the initial awkwardness. Here are some Tips to consider before and during a Career Fair.

While the atmosphere of a job fair may be conducive to meeting new contacts, the true advantage is in the follow up. This is when you might be asked for another meeting to continue the discussion. This is what might lead to a career prospect.

Audio transcript for Module 1.2 Networking

Now that you’ve thought about it for a while, you have more skills than you’d realized. Some of these might have come from jobs, but others have come from school, volunteering, and personal projects.

You’ve also realized that you’ll need to research the organizations where you’d like to start your career. So far, you only have a general idea of what they do. You need to spend time on their websites becoming more familiar with everything: various aspects of their business, their mission statement, who works there, what they’re looking for in their employees, and what a career with this organization might look like.

You might also check out the experiences of current or former employees. Just because this is your dream career, and you’ve investigated the organization, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s perfect. Be realistic and open to learning about other people’s experiences at the organization.

There are lots of online choices to continue your research, other than the company’s own website. You could start looking for careers using online tools like the Government of Canada’s Job Bank, or other job search websites. You can find reviews and employees’ thoughts on organizations on Glassdoor.

Meanwhile, you need to start building more professional experience–and earning. Looking for opportunities to volunteer, intern, or work through a temp agency seem like good options.

But how can you use your skills, what you’ve learned about your audience and the organization to help you launch your career? That first step still feels a long piece away. Maybe there are other ways of landing that elusive first job towards your career.