The Importance of Networking

The Importance of Networking

When one goes to a workshop or an info session there is an opportunity to make a meaningful connection with the company representative and with other students. But, perhaps you get caught up in the moment of what’s going on, the event ends, and you exit the virtual meeting without connecting. You may have lost the opportunity to make that important connection.

In my experience, recruiters have been key in connecting me to the right opportunity and providing resources to prepare for that company’s interview. Recruiters have knowledge on what opportunity works best for applicants. They are the individuals who identify people for roles within their company and assist recruits with the application process.

You may be wondering, “How do I connect with a recruiter?” Nowadays, we are living in a world where the chances of meeting a recruiter or knowing what recruiters are assigned to your campus increase through participation in virtual events. Most events have a Q&A; this is a good time to ask questions or write in the chat section of the virtual meeting platform you are using. I would suggest asking at the end of the event you are attending to connect with the people who were part of the event via email and/or LinkedIn. This is a good question to ask since you and other students may be interested in the host company and want to connect later. Once you get that contact information, you may start off with an introduction message like the following:

Hi/Dear/Good Morning/Good Afternoon <Persons name>,

I hope you are doing well. My name is Jane Doe and I attended <name of event> on <insert date>. I am grateful for your work on making that event possible for the students on my campus. I really benefited from participating in this event. I was wondering if, by chance, you had availability to connect with me to have a coffee chat? I would like to talk to you about my interests and discuss if you can guide me to the right opportunity at <insert company>.

Thank you for your time and I hope to hear from you soon.

 

Best Regards,

*your full name*

*your email*

The worst thing that could happen is that they say they are not available for a coffee chat. Or, they could also respond and tell you that it is better to connect with them via email.

Aside from recruiters, another important connection is students! These are peers that are emerging professionals in your major/field. They are also the people that may know about other opportunities that align to your interests. I remember that one of the most important experiences in my career in tech was due to another student telling me about it. Don’t be afraid to talk to them or connect through LinkedIn. You may never know when you will connect with them again. An example of an email to a student could be one like this:

 

Hi/Dear/Good Morning/Good Afternoon <Persons name>,

I hope you are doing well. My name is Jane Doe and I go to <name of college>. I would like to connect with you since you have experiences that align with the career path I want to pursue. I would like to talk to you about your experiences learn what I can do to obtain similar experiences.  Would you have availability for a virtual meeting?

Thank you for your time and I hope to hear from you soon.

Best Regards,

*your full name*

*your email*

 

 

Networking is essential and I hope that you feel encouraged to make some connections at future events you have the opportunity to attend.