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Networking: Connecting with Others

One of the best ways to learn about yourself and your career interests is by speaking with people who work in your fields of interest  Don’t let the term ‘networking’ intimidate you - talking with others is something you do every day.

THE VALUE OF A CONVERSATION

The type of conversation you have will be informed by where you are in your career exploration and planning. Approaching each conversation with the genuine intention of learning and connecting makes interactions more effective to:

The heart of networking is gathering information and building relationships. Keep in mind that networking does not mean asking someone for a job. In some circumstances, however, your connection may lead to support in your search or knowledge of an opportunity.

WHAT DOES NETWORKING LOOK LIKE?

Because networking is all about having a conversation, it can take place anywhere. Conversations can be informal or unplanned, such as:

Or they can be more formal and structured, such as:

Step 1: Find Contacts

You can identify contacts that you know and those you haven’t yet met by using these resources:

  • Our Northwestern alumni directory. Search using name, industry, employer, location, major, and more; reach out to alumni through the directory.
  • LinkedIn. There are more than 175,000 Northwestern alumni on LinkedIn. You can easily see what alumni studied, what they do, and often, where they live. Use the Northwestern University page to search for alumni.
  • Northwestern Network Mentorship Program. Reach out to two alumni mentors at a time; search using degree, field of specialty, nearest metro area, activities, discussion topics,
    and more.
  • Other affiliations. Get in touch with student organizations, professional associations, honor societies, and Greek organizations.

Step 2: Initiate Contact

Email is the most common way to reach out. It allows you to be comprehensive yet concise and to edit what you say before sending. Your message should include the following:

  • Introduction
  • Who referred you/how you found the contact
  • What you have in common (if applicable)
  • Why you’re reaching out/what you hope to learn
  • A specific request (such as 20 to 30 minutes to meet or talk)

SAMPLE INITIAL OUTREACH EMAIL:

Subject: Northwestern Student Seeking Career Advice

Eli Rivera,

My name is Erika Liu. I am a sophomore at Northwestern pursuing a Social Policy major in the School of Education and Social Policy and a Political Science major in Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and exploring careers in public service and the law. In searching LinkedIn, I was excited to discover that you are currently an attorney in private practice who has prior experience working for the federal government. I previously worked in my congressman’s home office but would like to learn more about working in government as well as get your insight and advice about legal careers in the public sector versus private sector. I wanted to ask if you could offer 30 minutes to meet in person or speak by phone. I appreciate your time and consideration and look forward to hearing back. Go ’Cats!

Step 3: Prepare for Conversation

Good preparation will enhance your conversation and help you leave a positive impression. Here are a few things you can do in advance:

  • Research the industry, the employer, and your contact’s background.
  • Determine what you want to learn and develop a list of questions to ask.
  • Review and reflect on your academic, extracurricular, and work experiences as they relate to your career interests and skills.
  • Practice your professional introduction and talking about your experiences.
  •  

Step 4: Engage

Even before the conversation starts, you can make a positive impression by dressing appropriately for the industry and arriving early for in-person meetings. For phone or virtual meetings, secure a quiet space with a good internet connection and wait until the scheduled time to call. Here are a few things to keep in mind for a successful conversation:

  • Start with your professional introduction and thank your contact for their willingness to talk with you.
  • Use your prepared questions as a guide, but let the dialogue progress naturally.
  • Demonstrate genuine interest in what your contact says and ask relevant follow-up questions.
  • While the focus will be on learning about your contact, assume that they will also want to learn about you. Be comfortable articulating your skills, values, and interests, as well as how your experiences have influenced your career interests.
  • Respect your contact’s schedule and stay within the allotted time.
  • Ask about staying connected and for referrals of other people to talk with.
  • Express appreciation for the contact’s time and contribution to your learning.

Step 5: After the Meeting

Review highlights of your conversation—it’s helpful to take notes about your exchanges so you can remember details and have a point of reference later. Specifically, answer the following questions:

  • What information did you gain and what information is still missing?
  • How did this exchange impact your overall career goals?
  • What are the next steps in your preparation?

Within two days, send a thank you note highlighting the value of the meeting and explicitly stating what you learned.

Step 6: Maintain Contact

Because one exchange is just the start of the relationship, consider ways to maintain the connection. Aim to connect with your contacts quarterly—set reminders on your calendar so your good intentions are not lost. Consider mailing seasonal greeting cards, sending updates by email, forwarding interesting industry news and journal articles, and inviting contacts to occasional coffee breaks. By connecting with your contact on LinkedIn, you will be updated on any career changes they may make in the future. This provides a good opportunity to send a note of congratulations. 

Because you will be managing multiple contacts at a given time, it is important to stay organized:

  • Create a spreadsheet with each contact’s name.
  • Note the date that you met or exchanged emails.
  • Track the outcome of the meeting or email exchange.
  • Indicate important notes and any action items.
  • To stay on track, review your notes periodically to ensure you’re maintaining your contacts and making progress on any action items.