Embedded Files
Jump To:
Jump To:
What is Networking?
What is Networking?
For some people, the term “networking” may sound interesting or even exciting, but for others it may sound awkward, disingenuous, or even dreadful. Whatever your comfort level is with networking, it’s important that we bust some common myths, because it’s an integral component of career success and fulfillment. At its core, networking is about building relationships. It is the ongoing process of building a professional community from which you can learn, seek advice, and find like-minded people. It’s also a community in which you contribute those same things.
Whether you’re exploring majors or preparing to apply for a job, building a professional community can support all phases of your professional development. Remember, there are many ways to network, so consider your personal preferences and goals to find the method that best aligns with your strengths.
Why Network?
Why Network?
There are numerous benefits to networking—your professional community can help you learn new things, introduce you to new connections, share opportunities to engage with, and help you secure a job or internship. The three primary goals of networking are to:
1. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS.
1. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS.
Focus on demonstrating genuine interest in learning more about the other person.
2. LEARN FROM OTHERS.
2. LEARN FROM OTHERS.
Seek out information and advice about career paths, industries, organizations, and the job search process.
3. COMMUNICATE YOUR PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY.
3. COMMUNICATE YOUR PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY.
Share information about your goals, skills, and experiences. Ask thoughtful questions.
Tip
Tip
There’s a false assumption that networking is only employed when you actually need a job. In fact, that’s why most people feel uncomfortable about networking: because they only force themselves to do it when they need something BIG! When you build your networking experience slowly and authentically over time with small asks, your big asks will feel less awkward. The best way to start comfortably exploring networking is by asking for information, not favors.
Before You Start
Before You Start
Know the Person and the Organization
Know the Person and the Organization
It is important to do your research before any type of networking interaction. You should know as much as possible about your ideal industry, the organization you have targeted, current trends and events, and the contacts with whom you will be meeting. You can accomplish this research through a variety of methods:
Review the contact’s LinkedIn profile
Research the organization’s website, especially sections like “About Us,” “Our Culture,” “Investor Relations, “News,” or “Recent Events.”
Search for company profiles through resources such as Google
Effective networking is not transactional—it is not about asking for a job or “using” connections. Networking is about establishing meaningful professional connections and fostering those relationships moving forward. Networking is also not limited to extroverts—all people can engage in and benefit from networking.
Know Yourself
Know Yourself
Clarify your interests and goals. What do you hope to learn? What information will be helpful as you make decisions? Think about who you want to connect with and why. What backgrounds or experiences do they have that you would like to learn more about? Knowing why you want to talk to someone will increase your motivation to reach out.
Refine your resume. Even if you do not use it (offering it is not typically recommended for initial meetings), have a working version ready in case it is requested.
Develop your elevator pitch.
Decide the best approach for you! Formal networking events, via email or LinkedIn.
Be prepared for questions about you, what you want to do, and what you are seeking. Tailor your elevator pitch to respond to these questions in a strategic and genuine way.
Positioning Statements
Positioning Statements
A positioning statement, or elevator pitch, is a strategic summary of your interests, expertise, and goals. Generally, a positioning statement lasts about 30 seconds to one minute in length, and it includes relevant information about your past experiences, current position, and future goals.
Present - part-time job in retail; business courses and student organizations
Past - high school jobs and volunteer work; talk about skills used
Future - industry/function that you are interested in, full-time or internship role, specific skills you want to develop and grow
Throughout your pitch, be sure to include specific and measurable results and contributions, and talk about skills that are relevant to the position, organization, and industry
Tips for positioning statements:
Reflect on the top 3-5 things you want an organization to know about you
Consider summary and transition statements to help organize the content for your listener (ex. “Three important things to know about my experience are...”)
Highlight specific and measurable results and contributions
Directly connect your experience and skills to the position, organization, and industry
We have a positioning statement document that includes several different examples.
Networking Opportunities
Networking Opportunities
Career Fairs
Career Fairs
Career Fairs provide plentiful opportunities for networking. The Carlson School hosts the Fall Career and Internship Fair in September and the Spring Career and Internship Fair in February. Both fairs are events where organizations interested in hiring students attend to build relationships with prospective applicants. These fairs are great opportunities to network with potential employers.
To help you have the best experience at the Career Fair, consider the following:
Prepare in Advance
Prepare in Advance
Thoroughly research the employers and contacts who will be attending the fair. Create a prioritized list of the organizations you are most interested in connecting with.
Talk to alumni in advance of the Career Fair. You can learn about their experiences at these fairs as well as the companies for which they work. Any networking you can do before you arrive will only benefit you, as you can use the fair as an opportunity to strengthen existing relationships.
Update your resume. Have a current version in both electronic and hard copy form. Bring more copies than you think you will need!
Refine your elevator pitch. Be sure it is current and tailored; if you have gained additional experience through internship work or student organizations, include that.
Read up on current events. Know what is happening in your target industry, world news, and specific organizations, so you have conversational material with contacts you meet. Be prepared to answer the question, "What do you know about us?"
Execute well
Execute well
What to wear
WHAT TO PUT HERE
What to bring
A padfolio or folder with your resume and any notes you may have taken through your research. Bag and coat check is available.
Strategies
Identify your priority organizations, but start with an organization not on this list to “warm up.”
Take brief breaks between interactions, to take notes (this will help with follow-up), recharge, and drink water.
Questions to Avoid
Questions to Avoid
Questions to generally avoid at Career Fairs:
What is the salary for this position?
What does your organization do?
Questions that are not relevant to the information you truly want to know. Be genuine.
The wrong questions for the person with whom you are talking (e.g., don’t ask an HR representative about the specifics of finance).
Basic things you could learn by looking at the organization’s website.
Example Questions You Could Ask
Example Questions You Could Ask
Questions to generally avoid at Career Fairs:
What qualities or experiences do you look for in interns?
What skills should I be developing if I’m interested in working in your industry/organization?
How did you get started in your role, and what drew you to this organization?
What does the interview process typically look like for your roles?
How has your organization supported early-career professionals during their first year?
What do successful new hires at your company tend to have in common?
Your website states the organization is supportive of/open to [insert here]. What does this look like in action, day to day?
What’s something that sets your organization apart from others in this industry?
Follow-up
Follow-up
Take the time to follow-up after the Career Fair with anyone you met. Write a genuine and specific thank you email and consider connecting with the organization representatives on LinkedIn. Acknowledging what was discussed and what you learned will help your contacts remember your conversation. Take action on any next steps you discussed such as sending your resume or applying through the organization website.
Consider attending additional U of M Career Fairs on Campus:
U of M Job & Internship Fair
Government & Nonprofit Career Fair
Environmental Internship & Career Fair
Careers in Law Forum
Formal and Informal Networking Opportunities
Formal and Informal Networking Opportunities
Networking opportunities are everywhere! Whether it's talking to peers in class, a stand-alone event, or approaching a speaker after a presentation, knowing how to enter and exit conversations is important.
Entering a Conversation
Entering a Conversation
It can sometimes feel intimidating or challenging to enter a conversation that is already taking place between two or more people. It is perfectly appropriate to join them—that is what networking events are all about! Consider one of these conversation starters.
May I join you?
This sounds very interesting. Would you mind if I joined this conversation?
Have you been to one of these events before?
What did you think of the speaker?
[If talking to a panelist or speaker] I really enjoyed your comments about ________________ ... I am curious about how you got started thinking about this topic.
I am Goldy Gopher, a junior at the Carlson School of Management. It’s nice to meet you.
Smile and respond when someone says something of interest.
Engaging in the Conversation
Engaging in the Conversation
While you are talking with your contacts, make it your goal to establish a genuine connection for that time. This means making eye contact with the person who is speaking, asking thoughtful questions, providing non-verbal cues that you are listening (nodding, etc.), and responding to what the person has said. It can be easy during a large event to get distracted by everything else around you, so concentrate on staying engaged in that one conversation.
Exiting a Conversation
Exiting a Conversation
It is perfectly appropriate to end a conversation and exit gracefully to move on to another contact. Here are some suggestions for closing a conversation.
It has been a pleasure learning more about you and your organization. Thank you for your time.
It is encouraging to hear ...
It is very interesting to learn ...
I am impressed by ...
I would like to follow up on...
Learn more about ...
Send you the article/website on ...
Stay in touch ...
I’d like to connect on LinkedIn. Is that alright?
I know there are others that would like to meet you, so I should give them a chance.
Thank you for the opportunity to get to know you. I really look forward to connecting again.
Tip
Tip
Take a moment to write a few details from your conversation on the back of a contact’s business card as soon as the conversation ends to help you remember important details for your follow-up.
Other Networking Opportunities
Other Networking Opportunities
Outside of formal networking events and individual informational interviews, there are countless other opportunities for you to network, learn from others, and build your professional presence.
Student Organization and Professional Involvement
Student Organization and Professional Involvement
Join professional associations where you can meet contacts who work in your industry or company of choice. Get to know people, and volunteer to take on projects that work with your schedule, meet their needs, and demonstrate your skills. This is also a good question to ask during your informational interviews (“To which professional associations do you belong?”).
Leadership Positions
Leadership Positions
Leadership opportunities are a great way to expand your professional connections and build your skills. Consider opportunities within student organizations, professional associations, community groups, business associations, neighborhood councils, religious organizations, etc. If you need help identifying opportunities, reach out to a career coach or visit engage.umn.edu to search for opportunities.
Social Media
Social Media
Consider how your online presence, especially LinkedIn, contributes to your professional identity. Social media tools can be used to identify contacts, reach out to individuals, and communicate information about yourself. Keep your LinkedIn profile updated and share posts about professional activities with your network.
Informational Interviews
Informational Interviews
Informational interviews are a powerful way to explore careers, learn from others, and build professional connections. These are one-on-one meetings (in-person or via phone/video) that allow you to ask questions and learn from the career experiences of another person. Most professionals are excited to connect with students and share their advice and experience with you!
The Informational Interviewing Process
The Informational Interviewing Process
Identify Contact
Identify Contact
A contact is anyone whom you are interested in learning from. Take time to reflect on what it is that you want to know. This is a crucial first step to identifying who to reach out to. Consider people who are working in roles, organizations, and industries that you would like to gather more information about. Consider also people who are making similar decisions to you, such as choosing a major, narrowing a career path, considering graduate school programs, or whom you share identities with.
Maroon & Gold Network and LinkedIn
Maroon & Gold Network and LinkedIn
How can you find people to connect with? Start with the Carlson School’s alumni, especially newer graduates who were recently in the same situation as you. The two best ways to find Carlson School alumni to connect with are through the Maroon and Gold Network and the alumni search tool on LinkedIn. You can also see a broader group of alumni on the Carlson School LinkedIn page.
We recommend starting with the Maroon and Gold Network because it is a group of hundreds of alumni who have proactively volunteered to talk to undergraduate students like you.
Request a Meeting
Request a Meeting
Engage with empathy and reflect on what will be most helpful to your contact when requesting an informational meeting.
Consider including:
Who you are—a student at the Carlson School, David’s cousin, Professor Yang’s former student, etc.
Why you are writing—you are interested in their line of work/company/industry and would like to learn more
What you are seeking—state the amount of time you would like to talk (30 minutes is a good guide), how you would like to meet, suggested location, and times
Send an email requesting a time to meet with your contact. Be mindful of tone and typos. It may be helpful to include a statement such as, “I recognize you are busy, so if I do not hear from you by [insert date], I will try to reach you again.”
A face-to-face meeting may provide the richest content, and phone and video conversations are also great options. We do not recommend simply sending questions via email, as this approach does not allow for the same level of relationship building and may be a burden on the person’s time.
If you do not hear back from the contact after a second attempt, move on and reach out to other contacts.
Prepare for the Meeting
Prepare for the Meeting
Clarify goals
Refine your resume and positioning statement
Research your interviewee
Prepare questions
Pack your padfolio, resumes, business cards, pens, etc.
Execute the Meeting
Execute the Meeting
An informational interview, even just for 30 minutes, generally consists of five sections.
Build rapport. Before anything else, engage in some small talk with the contact. Be sure to thank them for their time.
State your purpose. You will want to provide some more information about yourself, why you wanted to meet, what you hope to gain, and remind them the length of the meeting. Take responsibility for managing the time so your contact does not need to try to end the conversation.
Ask focused questions. Learn about the industry, the organization, and the contact. Be curious and thoughtful with your questions. See a list of suggested questions below. You are encouraged to take notes during this time.
Ask additional questions. End each meeting asking who else your contact would suggest you approach to build your network, and always ask if it is appropriate if you mention this person referred you. You may also ask your contact if they have any final advice or recommendations for additional steps you should take.
Wrap-up. At the end, thank your contact again for their time and advice. Offer a brief summary of what you heard, and agree to any follow-up tasks you have discussed. This would also be a good time to ask your contact if it would be appropriate for you to follow-up in a few months to stay connected.
Tip
Tip
At the end of your informational interview, consider asking who else your connection recommends you reach out to. For example, “I really enjoyed.... Who do you recommend I connect with to continue learning more?”
Follow-up
Follow-up
Send a thank-you email after the informational meeting. Consider sending a handwritten note and connecting with the contact via LinkedIn as well. Include details about specific takeaways from the meeting and follow up on any action steps discussed, such as forwarding your resume.
While it may not be possible to re-engage with all contacts regularly, it is important to keep genuine and relevant contacts “warm.” This means reaching out to them on a regular basis—every 3 to 6 months—with an update, question, or resource.
Reasons to follow up with a contact:
You followed their advice
Sending an article of interest
Update your resume, experience, or situation
You read or heard something about them or their organization
It has been a while, and you just want to touch base
Let them know you are recruiting/applied for a job at their organization, etc., and include your most recent resume
Tip
Tip
Find message templates and sample language for contacting professionals at z.umn.edu/CDcommunications
Questions to Ask During an Informational Interview
Questions to Ask During an Informational Interview
Personal
Personal
I am interested in your background. How did you get where you are today?
What are your key functions and responsibilities?
I understand you are working on ________________. Tell me more about that project (or others you are working on now).
What do you enjoy most about your job?
What are the main challenges of your role? What has been the most difficult thing to learn in this position?
Describe a typical day’s work. How much time do you spend on analysis, client contact, managing others, making presentations, meetings, vs. individual time, etc.?
What are critical qualities or characteristics for success in this role/business unit? What types of people tend to do well here?
What led to your decision to take this job? Compare and contrast your views of the industry and others you considered. Was there a framework or set of perspectives that helped you make your decision?
Did you change careers? How did you make the transition?
What were the perceived weaknesses in your background and how did you address or overcome these?
What are the common interview questions and topics students should be prepared to discuss for interviews in this function/industry?
What was the best part of your educational experience? What classes helped you the most in the early stages of your career?
What resources proved most useful in your career search process?
If you had to redo your job search, what would you do differently?
What advice would you give someone like me?
What are the things you wish you had known when you were starting out in this field?
Industry/Function
Industry/Function
What are some important long-term trends affecting this industry (sector)?
How do you see these trends affecting marketing strategy (or other functional areas of the business)?
What are the critical issues facing your industry today?
What are some sources of information I could use to keep up-to-date on this important issue?
What are the rewards of working in this function/industry?
What information do you wish you had known before entering into this function/industry?
What are the challenges, demands, and other things students should know about being in this function/industry?
What are the career stages and paths, beginning with an entry-level job for this function/industry?
How can you break into this function/industry without prior experience? Can you give examples of people who have done this and what they did?
What are the best sources of information for this function/industry? What professional development processes or professional association involvement are helpful as one grows in this function/industry?
How do you stay current about trends in your business/industry? Any advice on reading material or ways I can research this area?
What is your particular advice for someone interested in this field?
Company
Company
What do you think is important for those who would want to work in your organization to know?
How do you interact with colleagues from different functions?
How would you describe the culture of your company?
How would you describe the atmosphere in this business unit/area?
How is your team/business unit organized?
Who do you interact with the most in this role? Who do you go to for advice?
How much autonomy and flexibility do you have?
How is your performance evaluated? How do you evaluate the performance of others in your group?
What are the expectations of someone first joining this business in your role? What does the career path look like beyond that?
How did you choose this company? Why did you choose it over the competitors?
Conclusion
Conclusion
Treat every opportunity you are around your peers or professionals as a networking experience and an opportunity to connect with and as an opportunity to share information about your professional identity. Networking is a powerful tool to explore careers, build relationships, and foster opportunities.
Additional Tips
Additional Tips
Keep in mind your primary purpose in being at the event is to connect with other people. The food and beverage area can be a great place to start conversations and is an accessible topic for small talk. If you are eating, consider food choices that will be easy to manage while standing. It can be helpful to hold your drink in your left hand so your right hand is available for handshakes. If alcohol is part of the event, be mindful of consumption and don’t feel obligated to partake.
Personal Events
Personal Events
Almost any event you attend can be an opportunity to build your professional network. Personal connections can be powerful sources of networking, so be prepared to discuss what you are interested in, even in social situations.
Suggested Topics for Small Talk
Suggested Topics for Small Talk
During almost any conversation, you will start or find an opportunity to engage without discussing actual career details. Become comfortable talking about a variety of neutral topics so that you can engage a contact (or interviewer) before you dig into details. Topics include:
Weather
Sports
Seasonal events (change of seasons, daylight savings time, non-religious and non-cultural holidays)
Non-controversial current events
City you are in
Restaurants
Recent books, podcasts, or articles you have engaged with
Organize your Networking
Organize your Networking
The best time to organize your networking is before you even begin. Many students find it helpful to organize and track their networking in a database or spreadsheet. In that way, they can know at a glance the last time they checked in with a contact, as well as any important information or follow-up items they mentioned.
Networking Dos and Don'ts
Networking Dos and Don'ts
Do
Do
Be prepared—research the contact, company, or industry.
Develop and practice your positioning statement.
Suggest meeting times and locations in your initial e-mail, reducing the number of times that you have to e-mail back and forth.
Send your resume when contacting a recruiter, but not for the first contact with other networking contacts (e.g., alum).
Be specific about the time requested (30 minutes is generally a good guideline).
Act interested and enthusiastic about the organization and your field.
Actively seek networking opportunities and conduct as many informational interviews as possible.
Consider meeting with juniors or seniors who have interned or networked with your target employers and can share knowledge.
Initiate the discussion by reminding your contact of who you are and what you are looking to learn.
Be prepared with specific questions.
Be current on business and world events.
Practice.
Follow up and express thanks.
Don't
Don't
Ask directly for a job in the first interaction
Take longer than the time requested for informational interviews unless you receive permission from the person you are interviewing.
Ask questions about salary and company benefits.
Simply rattle off facts from the organization's website. They know their organization! Instead, let them know why you are interested in that organization and ask informed questions you could not find the answer to in your research or on which you would like their perspective.
Monopolize or interrupt the conversation.
Be fashionably late.
Report abuse