Networking Tips that New GradsCan Actually UseBy Suman

Sridhar

Yeah, right! As rapper Drake says, “No new friends!”

Or not.

As strong as the bonds form at your alma mater, you’ll likely have to network to get ahead in life.

(Bet you’ve never heard that from your career counselors, right?)

Talking to people? Making new friends?

Networking is when people form a web of connections in order to leverage opportunit ies for their career or social l ives

The following networking tips I’ve created can apply for your personal and professional lives• I’m no career counselor, but I’m still a young

professional. I’ve chosen to compile and share what works for me and those around me, and it’ll hopefully work for you too.

So You’re a Little ShyAs an introvert, I have my own hang-ups with networking

But today, we have help with the vast array of digital tools at our fingertips. It’s time to put the “social” in your social media channels!

We’re All in the Same Boat• Every single person has been affected by the

tenuous market on some level. • Every person has been cutting back or doing more with

less, and many people who already have jobs struggled to get there.

• Therefore, those who have a job are l ikely more than wil l ing to lend a helping hand to people starting out.

It’s okay to be a loserWhen I first graduated, my friend and I crashed a birthday party with the sole intent of meeting new people. Everyone had already formed cliques. After hovering awkwardly by the refreshments, I finally walked over to a clique and said, “Hi, we don’t know anyone here.” All of them looked at each other and said, “We don’t know anyone either. ” Everyone, my friend included, admired my bravery.

And we all ended up going on vacation to Mexico together! True story!

A picture from my trip to Mexico with new friends

But don’t be a toolPlay nice! No one likes it when strangers bother them for a job or internship. Ask informational questions and ask for advice. If they have any sense of decency, they’ll offer to help connect you with your desired employer or point you in the right direction.

• The first words out of your mouth should be about your professional interests.

• This way, you will become the go-to person for that kind of work.

• For example, I love to write and received a degree in English. Therefore, my friends and associates know me as a writer . Whether you want to be a graphic designer or plumber, keep the description of what you’re interested in simple, so people around you can easily remember it.

If you’re interested in starting a career…

“Personal branding is about figuring who you are and what

turns you on and then monetizing it. When you find something that

feels right, concentrate on refining your skills and educating yourself about your chosen field.”

Kelly Cutrone, famous publicist and mentor to

many mil lenials

“Personal branding is about figuring who you are and what

turns you on and then monetizing it. When you find something that

feels right, concentrate on refining your skills and educating yourself about your chosen field.”

Kelly Cutrone, famous publicist and mentor to

many mil lenials

From in-person parties or events with new people, your goal should be to walk away with one point of contact. This can range from telling someone to Facebook you or find you on LinkedIn, or maybe you’ll gain a new Twitter follower. Better yet, you should make the effort to friend/connect with/follow them!

Let’s get digital, digital

Do you recognize the ’80s song that inspired the title of this slide? Chances are, the song came out

before you were born. Okay, it came out before I was born too….

Do you recognize the ’80s song that inspired the title of this slide? Chances are, the song came out

before you were born. Okay, it came out before I was born too….

Love your LinkedIn• You need to get on LinkedIn, like, yesterday.

• LinkedIn is how I got my first job (by checking out a posting in my college’s alumni LinkedIn group).

• Every prospective hiring manager and recruiter I’ve come across has viewed my LinkedIn profile.

• These days, many hiring managers only view your LinkedIn instead of your resume.

• Take Mike Volpe, CMO at HubSpot: “I spend almost no time looking at résumés at this point,” Volpe said. “A quick Google search based on the résumé typically takes me to their LinkedIn profile, Twitter account, Facebook page or blog, all of which tells me a lot about how he or she interacts with people on a daily basis.”

Check out a post by a young woman who used LinkedIn to launch her career:

“This LinkedIn Connection is Half the Reason I get Paid Today.”

Still not convinced?

What else has worked for me?

Viewing job listings on my college’s alumniJob boardParticipating in Google groups and viewing Twitter feedsAsking coworkers for help (for new grads, this can be other people you’ve worked with during internships)

Just Remember

Someone can be completely different in-person than they are online. For

professional relationships, see if (after a few messages) your contact would

be willing to have a quick coffee meeting with you.

For personal connections, invite that new acquaintance out sometime. Trust

me, they’ll be grateful you did. Maybe you’ll find a new vacation buddy!

Social media should ideally be a supplement, not a substitute, for offline connections

• I graduated college right when the market crashed. Lucky me!

• I had to intern for a year , do odd jobs, and take classes before

I found a position in my desired field: online marketing.

• It’s a field I ’ l l always find exciting and interesting, and since

then I’ve gotten the chance to work in New York City and Boston,

be published on sites like CNBC, and interview with some top

brands like HubSpot and TechTarget.

It may take time, but of course it’sworth it

By Suman Sridhar

@Suman_Sridhar