My Networking Success Story: How To Do It The Right Way

Networking – also known as the dreaded action that we are all expected to take in order to ‘make it’ in the world and find a job. We all know it, and we all fear it, but we also all know that we need it to survive.

As an introvert, networking was initially a difficult challenge to tackle. With a lot of trials and practice, however, I think I have finally learned how to do it the correct way.

And guess what? I wholeheartedly believe that my networking strategy was one of the main reasons I was able to secure my dream internship at Universal Creative next semester. 

So, after many trials and tribulations, here are my best tips.

Don’t Be Afraid to Cold-Message and Cold-Email People

This goes for introverts especially. I know it can sometimes be hard to make the first move and reach out, but trust me, so many people on LinkedIn are so much more accessible than you may think. 

I have messaged people all over the organizational chart, from interns to directors of departments, and have heard responses from so many of them. They were all incredibly happy that I reached out, and that I was curious to learn more about the position.

So make the first move! It may be scary, but it is almost always worth it.

Be Kind

When in doubt, be kind. I always reach out with a meaningful and genuine compliment, mentioning how passionate I am about their job or department, and usually asking to learn more. 

The great thing about it? No one has ever refused my messages. They are happy to see a passionate, respectful and kind student reaching out with the curiosity to learn more about them and their roles. 

Don’t Treat It Like a Transaction

Many people “fail” the process of networking almost immediately because they treat it like a transaction instead of an actual relationship.

When you are networking, think back to your why. Why are you reaching out to this person? What do you want to learn from them?

If you get the chance to talk to them, what would you want to ask them? What would you want to know and how would you like to feel after that meeting?

Don’t expect to be able to hand over your resume and receive a job offer or interview immediately after you connect with someone. Not only is it unrealistic, it is also rude. 

Also, don’t forget to follow up. You never know when that relationship might come in handy down the road. 

Use Your Meeting to Learn More About Them and Their Department

This past summer, I was applying to internships at Universal and preparing to apply to the ones offered at Disney. Although I was extremely passionate about both companies, I also knew that there were so many different departments, and I truly had no idea what many of them did. 

Sometimes it is better to get that first-person perspective, and to be able to ask questions about the types of work these people do and how it is different from other parts of the company. Especially in the world of communications, in which you have many different teams to handle each facet of the job.

Asking these questions and learning this information only deepened my passion and knowledge about the different areas of these companies, and allowed me to demonstrate that in my interview process with Universal.

It’s also a great way to connect with other people. Say you find out that you are not too interested in what your connection does, but they know other people in departments you are more passionate about. Then, you already have internal connections just waiting to be made. 

Don’t Only Reach Out to CEOs or Recruiters

Listen, there is nothing wrong with shooting your shot with any C-Suite member, or connecting with recruiters to learn more about the HR department and workflow. 

However, the majority of people reaching out to these individuals are just looking for jobs – not actually interested in joining HR.

Although the majority of recruiters who I have interacted with have been the most lovely people, they have not been instrumental in any decisions in my hiring process. They usually conduct an initial interview to prove that you are a real person and are genuinely interested in the position, and then help set up the next interview.

The people who you should prioritize in recruiting are the people in the positions you want to be in, specifically post-grad (or as soon as possible). By that, I mean if you are a senior in college, you should be finding people in post-grad internships and entry-level positions that you are passionate about, and connecting with them about their journeys. 

If you want to take it a step further, move up the organizational chart to connect with different levels of people in each department, such as managers, managers of managers, directors and more. That way, you can get a more nuanced view of the work, and a perspective of someone who has been in the company and industry for longer.

Not only are these people more relevant to what you are actually looking for, they also have more of an impact on your hiring process and are more likely to respond. They can connect you with more people, could offer to pass your resume around and sometimes know hiring managers of intern and entry-level positions within their department. 

While the C-Suite members and recruiters get overwhelmed with messages – be different, and find success in the specifics instead. 

Overall, networking is a process. It takes a lot of time and effort, and can also take awhile to pay off.

If you do it the right way, however, it can be a lot less frustrating, and hopefully even bring about that offer of a lifetime.

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