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Networking is scary but networking is also the key to success. This is a quick 9 step guide on how to network from finding the person to talk to all the way to writing a thank you at the end of the conversation. At any stage of your career this is important – from freshman year to senior year to even well beyond into your professional career. This is a skill that can be learned too! It will take time to practice but it is best to practice now so in the future you are a well seasoned networker.
- Find people you want to connect with via LinkedIn or your personal network.
- Reach out with “I want to have a conversation about how you got from point a to point b” or something connecting your interest/why you think they’re cool.
- Include a personal greeting, a segment about how you know them, a 2 second elevator pitch, and a why you want to connect, request a coffee/call, end with a thank you
- If/when they respond, coordinate a meeting
- Ball is now in your court, so you need to come up with questions–you’re lucky because people typically LOVE to talk about themselves and give advice
- Most likely, they’ll have a positive feeling about the meeting
- If you’re interested in pursuing an opportunity with their company, end the meeting with: after speaking with you and learning more about your company I am extremely interested in pursuing an opportunity with your company. Do you have any advice to better my application/chances/etc.
- Basically, you’re asking them to help you help yourself!
- After the meeting, be sure to write a personalized thank you letter! If you need help, reference our thank you letter writing guide!
Now it’s time to go out and start networking!
