Steps to Success – Step 4Net a Job Through

NetworkingMary Lauer

Career Consultant

Building relationships to share resources and information

A learned skill

Critical to your career search – 80 % of jobs are found through your personal & professional network

People helping people

A lifelong process that can enrich us in ways we never imagined!

What is Networking?

Friends/RelativesNeighborsProfessorsCareer Services

DepartmentProfessional Association

ContactsSchool & College FriendsVolunteer Group PeersSocial Networking Contacts

Former EmployersHair Stylist/BarberHobby/Special

InterestsCivic LeadersBankersHealth Club MembersReligious/Spiritual

LeadersDoctors/Dentists

Who is in My Network Now?

Mary Jones Criminal Justice Degree Graduate

Phone: 555-123-4567 Mobile: 555-321-7654 E-mail Address: professionalemail@gmail.com City, ST http://www.linkedin.com/in/maryjones

Personal Business Cards

Visit www.vistaprint.com– if you order a basic style, then you only pay for shipping costs

White or neutral background colorBlack of dark printMinimal graphics or bold colors (unless you are in

marketing, graphic design, advertising etc.)List only your city and state, without your street

addressOptional – include your career goal or qualifications

on back of card

Personal Business Cards - Tips

My name is _______________ and my career goal is to obtain a _____________ position

in the _____________industry.

I recently achieved my _________ degree from Colorado Technical University. I selected

this degree program because _________________________________________________.

What I learned that I am excited to apply at my next job ___________________________.

My key strengths are ______________, ________________, and ____________________. (look at your qualifications or summary section of your resume – i.e. problem solving, relationship building, teamwork)

My related experience in this field includes (if applicable) _______________________.(include both paid and unpaid related experience in a nutshell)

60-Second Commercial

American Health Management Information Management Association: http://www.ahima.org

American Management Association (AMA): http://www.amanet.org

American Correctional Association (ACA): http://www.corrections.com

National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA): httpp://www.paralegals.org

American Accounting Association: http://www.aaahq.org Project Management Institute (PMI): http://www.pmi.org Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP):

http://www.aitp.org Or you could view www.weddles.com/association. This site

lists many professional organizations by function or industry.

Professional Organizations

Visit http://www.job-hunt.org – click on your state and find a listing of networking resources in your community

Contact your local organizations to determine if they have job clubs, networking groups or any career resources:Churches, Mosques and SynagoguesLibrariesCommunity CentersCareer One-Stop Centers

Try http://www.meetup.com – this site is a forum for groups of people with shared interests, allowing them to form offline clubs in local communities, globally (i.e. hobbies, sports, business functions, special interests etc.)

Start your own Job Club or Networking Group!

Job Clubs & Networking Groups

What is Social Networking?Social networking functions as an online community

of people who have something in common

Social networking has been instrumental in connecting new friends, old friends, “long lost family members,” and even landing employment

Social Media Networking

LinkedIn - BackgroundLinkedIn was founded by a former Yahoo executive and is the

premier online professional networking tool.

The purpose of LinkedIn is to network with people who may (or may not) know each other through various connections.

A user is able to join groups, research companies and connect with members.

Membership is Free. A user is able to change the level of membership and have access to more features for a fee.

More than 35 million users, spanning 150 industries globally.

Visit http://www.LinkedIn.com and sign up for a free LinkedIn Webinar – click on “Learning Center … Training Resources”.

Join LinkedIn and develop your profile. Add key words to the “Specialties” section which will help employers and recruiters find you easier.

Invite peers, friends, former employers, classmates, etc. – expand your network. Write personalized invites and do not use the boiler plate e-mails.

Conduct a Job Search – there are 120 functional categories and 170 industry categories to refine your results. Companies and recruiters post jobs on this site – sometimes these are postings only found on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn Tips (1)

Conduct Company Research and search for Recruiters and Hiring Managers.

View “Company Buzz” which is powered by Twitter – put in a topic and see the latest tweets on that topic.

Join Groups – many professional organizations, alumni associations, non-profit groups have formed groups on LinkedIn. CTU-Online?

Approach potential networking contacts by using the advanced search feature that allows you to find contacts by name, company, title, key word, industry and geography.

Add your LinkedIn address to your personal business card.

LinkedIn Tips (2)

TO LEARN ABOUT …Position Responsibilities Industry TrendsOrganizational Growth Job Shadowing Possibilities Internship PositionsCareer Development TipsPotential Contacts in Desired Field

Informational Interviewing - Purposes

Informational Interviews - Preparation Contact the person and introduce yourself: “Hello, my name is

_______. I'm conducting career research in your field. I would like to meet and talk with you for about 20-30 minutes so that I can find out more about your field of expertise."

Plan a meeting that lasts 20-30 minutes. Be respectful of the person’s time.

Research the person you will be meeting with and the organization where they are employed.

If you decide to meet in person, they will likely invite you to meet at their place of employment. They may give you a tour and introduce you to others in the organization.

Tips: confirm the appointment (if they don’t send a confirmation), dress professionally, show up on time and have an agenda.

Remember – you are gathering information and not asking for a job!

How did they get started in their career?What are the trends they see in this industry?What are the current challenges in this field?What is their advice on breaking into the industry?Are there any Job Shadowing or Internship

opportunities?Who are 2-3 people that you think I would benefit

from talking to?How can I help you? (always end with this)

Informational Interviews - Questions

Build Rapport – introduce self and try to make a personal connection

Present Yourself:60-Second CommercialCareer GoalsLatest on Your Current Search

Ask specific questions from your prepared list

Ask for referrals

Thank you & next steps

Informational Interviews – Meeting Agenda

Follow-Up• Follow-up each informational

interview with a note thanking them for their time, within 48 hours.

• Remind them that you are a resource in the future if they ever need help.

• Do your homework - take action on their suggestions.

• Update your networking log.

Networking LogStay Organized!

Visit Career Services Events & Networking Club and click on “Career Management Tracking Tool” in the Document section on the Home Page

Make sure you update your log each time you speak to a contact

If you want, add special notes for yourself that may help you remember the person (e.g. “likes theatre”) which could be good conversation notes.

Next StepsNetwork everywhere you go!

Continuously update your networking log.

Create a Personal Business Card.

Create a LinkedIn Profile & be proactive.

Develop your 60-Second Commercial and practice it.

Join a Professional Organization & a Job Club/Networking Group.

Q & A

This concludes Step Four: Net a Job Through Networking

Thank you for attending!

The archive of this presentation will be available in the Career Services Events and Networking

Club found in the Virtual Commons

Please feel free to e-mail Career Services at careerservices@ctuonline.edu

if you have any follow-up questions or assistance