Job Search - Networking and Informational Interviewing

Use Networking To

• explore careers
• research industries, companies and specific jobs
• discover how to enter a field and learn about career paths
• build a community of people with whom you share some interests
• uncover job leads

What Networking Is Not

• ASKING ANYONE TO GIVE YOU A JOB
• limited to talking with people you already know
• done only by senior level people
• intuitive for many people

Networking is a critical life skill. Start developing it now.

Open your conversations with a question that ANYONE can say "YES!" to: would you share your experience? would you be willing to give me some advice?

Networking is an exchange of information and ideas. The person you talk to is likely to enjoy a chance to talk about her self and her work. She will naturally begin to think about others to whom you might want to speak. If that doesn’t happen, you can ask " Can you think of other people I should be speaking to?"

Build Your Network

You already have a network of:

• People you know: family, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances and, past and present.
• Faculty, advisers, fellow students, co-op or work associates
• Members of organizations you belong to or could join: a club, team, church, school group.
• Professional organizations in your field.
To find professional organizations, try The Riley Guide
• LinkedIn is THE dominant professional networking site. Join for free and start connecting. See our LinkedIn handout
• Student clubs at Northeastern
• NU Alumni – There are more than 150,000 NU alumni out there who would love to help a fellow NU graduate or student. Seniors can find alumni in their fields on the HuskyNation tab of myNEU. Alumni use the Alumni Directory, and others get contacts through a Career Services counselor. LinkedIn is an even better way to find alumni, and you can also see their whole career path. Join Northeastern groups to find them.

Read this handout BEFORE you approach alumni to learn how to make the most of this opportunity.

What Is An Informational Interview?

It’s one way of networking that is very useful in researching careers and companies. An informational interview is a key tactic to acquire insider information about a field, an industry or a company. It is not a job interview — your goal is to learn.

Students exploring careers or career-changers seek informational interviews as a way to find out whether a particular type of job or organization fits them, or how to enter a field.

Job-seekers use informational interviews to research target organizations, get advice on (unadvertised) opportunities that might exist and to find other people to talk to.

Requesting An Informational Interview

Send a short letter or e-mail in advance of a telephone request for an appointment with someone you don’t know.

Plan your questions to make the most of this chance to get insider information. Do research so you aren’t asking questions you could have answered by yourself.

Informational interviews are usually about 30 minutes long. Respect people's time, thank them for it and keep them informed about your progres, as the people you speak to become members of your network.

Read our Informational Interviewing handout and also Networking Etiquette

Sample Questions

• What led you to become [an anthropologist]?
• What advice do you have for someone starting out in [social work]?
• What does it take to be a successful contributor in this field?
• What aspects of your job are the most satisfying to you?
• How did you get your start at [Microsoft]?
• What does [IBM] really look for in its college recruiting program candidates?
• How does the [marketing industry] recruit candidates?

NOTE: Always ask for the names of other people you might speak with.

Following Up

Thanking people in writing is absolutely essential. Send a note or an email immediately, and keep people informed of your progress as your exploring or search continues. Everyone you see becomes a member of your network.