9 Step Guide to Networking

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.

  1. Find people you want to connect with via LinkedIn or your personal network.
  2. 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.
  3. 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
  4. If/when they respond, coordinate a meeting
  5. 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
  6. Most likely, they’ll have a positive feeling about the meeting
  7. 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.
  8. Basically, you’re asking them to help you help yourself!
  9. 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!

By Yasmeen Alwani
Yasmeen Alwani CareerEdge Content Creator Yasmeen Alwani