By Sunny Wong
Senior Staff Writer
With the current state of the economy, it is now more important than ever to properly network and use those connections to leverage your career. It has been said many times before that the best jobs come from referrals. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70 percent of jobs are found through networking.
Networking involves building and developing a list of contacts you can later use for your advantage when looking for a job or internship. The key to successful networking is to be genuine. Avoid the common mistake of jumping in immediately and asking for a job, unless of course it is a close friend or family member.
Building Your Network
The first step in the networking job search process is finding and building your network. Initial contacts should be friends, family, and neighbors since you can be direct and upfront about your desire for a job. They will also be most likely and willing to assist in your professional aspirations. However, do not stop there. Reach out to former co-workers, bosses, teachers, and distant relatives too.
The next avenues that you should consider include information sessions, networking and professional events. UCLA’s career center often hosts various information sessions on various companies. To sign up for one, login to BruinView and select the “Events and Workshops” tab. Be sure to also attend several of the Career Fairs that the UCLA Career Center puts on. Sometimes, the most difficult aspect of networking in these kinds of situations is approaching these successful professionals and knowing what types of questions to ask. A basic approach is to simply ask questions about the profession because people often like to talk about themselves. That way you can prove to them that you are a good listener and it allows you to see how your professional goals align with theirs. Remember to do your homework. For instance, research the company beforehand and know what services or products they provide. Also, try to formulate questions that pertain to the company. Finally, bring a well-polished resume with you to the event.
UCLA’s career center offers a free online resume service that provides feedback within five business days.
To learn more, visit: career.ucla.edu/Students/Workshops/OnlineResumeCritique.aspx
Students also often overlook their campus alumni resources. UCLA’s Career Network, for instance, contains a database of thousands of UCLA alumni who have volunteered to provide career advice and information for fellow Bruins. Students can access this through the following link: http://www.uclalumni.net/NetworkingCareers/UCLACareer-Network/
Students can create a list of up to 20 UCLA professionals they would like to contact at one time. Do not forget that we also have a top business school right here on cam-pus, the Anderson Graduate School of Management. Many of the MBA students here are more than happy to answer questions about your career. If there is a specific industry or job function you’re interested in, it may be helpful to email the officer of an organization that focuses on that sector. A list of Anderson clubs and organizations can be found here: http:/www.anderson.ucla.edu/x20377.xml
Maintaining Your Network
This is perhaps the most crucial aspect of networking. Most people never take the time to develop and extend their relationships after meeting their contacts. After any networking event, interview, or even dinner, be sure to obtain a business card and actually follow up. Call or email every contact that you meet, and take the time to thank them for their advice. It may be helpful to also remind them of something about the conversation that you found interesting. Finally, remind them of your networking objectives and provide information as to why you are the best candidate for the position. For example, send a follow-up email including a snippet of a conversation you found interesting and perhaps even reattach your resume. Remember to keep them posted and send occasional emails, but do not go overboard. An email every two weeks or so should suffice. For in-stance, remind them that you are still in your job search and ask any new questions that might have arisen since the last time you’ve met.
It may be helpful to think of net-working like working out or studying for exams. If you want to do it properly, you cannot wait until the last minute. Spend a little time each day cultivating your network instead of “cramming” the last minute during the summer upon the realization that you still need an intern-ship or job.
Online Networking
The Internet is also a great way to develop and maintain existing contacts. Consider registering for Linkedin, a professional-oriented social networking site that helps users reconnect with former and pre-sent colleagues. Unlike Facebook and MySpace, Linkedin takes a more professional approach in that people you add in your network are re-ferred to as “connections” in-stead of “friends.” One of the advantages of Linkedin is that it tracks your connections, and reveals the connections of your connections, so there’s potential to find someone within your circle that may be of use. A way to improve your search visibility is to simply fill out your profile. The more items you list there, such as education, skills, and internships, the more likely it is for you to be found. Also upload your address book, and see who else is on Linkedin.
Twitter is also rapidly becoming a quick way to get more attention in the recruiting scene. Twitter is a microblogging site that limits status updates to 140 characters known as “Tweets.” These small updates can be about anything, but some users utilize Twitter to market their products through these “Tweets.” To at-tract the right recruiters, make sure you are creative and succinct when typing out your bio. With only 140 characters, you want to make the best first impression especially when recruiters primarily find potential candidates through keyword searches. Try to also get listed on justtweetit, a directory listing that lists other twitter users in specific industries. Finally, follow @JobAngels, a grassroots movement that helps people network and find jobs.
