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MASTERING THE SKILL OF NETWORKING
Ah, yes, networking-the buzzword of the business world. And a skill you'll have to master regardless of whether or not you ever set foot into that world. Here are some tips on how to go about it.
"Many more internships exist than are listed on databases, so networking is immeasurably helpful."
Religion major,
Oberlin College '03
Networking is really just a fancy word for meeting and talking to people. People know about internship opportunities and people make decisions about whom and when to hire for these internships. The more people you talk to, the more people will know that you're looking for an internship and the greater will be your chances of learning about one that you like and successfully applying for it. Just having a connection doesn't necessarily get you the job-but it helps you to stand out from a crowd of applicants. The rest is up to you.
It's not always easy to ask people-especially people you don't really know-for help in your internship search, but you have to suck it up and do it. Networking is like those urban legends that start, "I know someone whose cousin's sister's husband..." Use every connection you have, even if it's just to Mrs. Smith next door who hands out apples and toothbrushes on Halloween. You never know-if you casually mention to Mrs. Smith that you're looking for an internship, she might refer you to her sister-in-law, who happens to be the Human Resources manager at a law firm that's just dying to take on an intern for the summer.
Even if your connection isn't as golden as that, it might lead you to look somewhere you would've never thought to look. It never hurts to talk to as many people as you possibly can. The more people you have looking out for you, the better your chances of finding something you like.
When you're looking for someone to talk to about a particular career, college alums are always a good place to start-you already have the common bond of having attended the same school. Find a few alumni by using the directory at the career services center and send them an email asking to set up an informational interview.
Any career counselor will tell you to never ask for a job or an internship during an informational interview. While that's something to keep in mind, most alums won't mind if you ask whether they know of any openings in their company.
Keep in mind that networking is an ongoing process-it doesn't stop once you've found an internship. Stay in touch with people. You never know who might be able to help you out a few years down the line.
Copyright © 2002, 2003 by NATAVI GUIDES.
Check out more student advice on scoring an internship...
>USING EMAIL COVER LETTERS EFFECTIVELY
>ORGANIZING YOUR INTERNSHIP RESUME
>ENGAGING YOUR INTERVIEWER
>MAKING THE MOST OUT OF BEING THE OFFICE GOFER
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