Black Collegian Career Center

Networking may best be described as a support system characterized by interrelationships for the purpose of helping someone. To this extent it can also be said to possess an altruistic quality. Networking in its truest sense is about people helping people.

When we think of networking in the modern context, we think about "having connections" (people connected to you, who are connected to influential others). And these connections are used to assist people to achieve career goals whether it amounts to an interview for a job, a letter of recommendation for graduate study, or to make a major purchase. We will be examining networking as it relates to the job search.

The Road to Your Future

In traveling on your journey to career success, you will have many decisions to make about what roads you will take to meet your career goals. No matter what road you find yourself on, networking can play a very vital role in achieving your career goals. There are many networking vehicles you can use depending on your situation. Whatever you decide, don’t ignore any of the following:

• Network with friends, family and professors

• Professional associations and societies

• Fraternities and sororities

• Direct contact with people you don’t know

• Newspaper /trade journal advertisements

• Employment/placement agencies

• Job/career fairs

• Temporary agencies

Another Reality is Networks Really Work!

While estimates vary, most industry professionals agree that networking accounts for filling between 50 and 65% of all jobs. That’s a tremendous statistic when you consider all of the possible ways people go about job hunting. As powerful and effective as networks can be, there’s no trick to landing on your feet in the right place at the right time. The reality is that it's all about preparation, planning, and persistence. When you are networking effectively, it is very much like sowing seeds. And sowing seeds (networking), can produce some impressive fruit (results). In order for relationships to become fruitful, they require nurturing, time and patience. Many of your best networks are already in place from years of association. Relationships with friends, relatives and former teachers are a good example of established networks. These are often the best places to start because people know you.

Networking is not a new phenomenon. For centuries people have been hitting up friends, neighbors, former classmates and relatives for jobs or information and referrals that might lead to jobs. Most people do this quite naturally and don’t even realize that they are involved in a very crude and simplistic form of networking. However, in order for you to maximize your chances of success, you need to formalize your efforts into a well-organized strategic plan.

The most important part of networking is people and people contact. You shouldn’t think of networking as "using people," but rather, as a means of gaining access to a people database. You will need these people to gain and transmit information. You will either want to gain information about a particular industry, company, or position; or you will want to transmit information about yourself to others about your skills and experience. When approached, most people will understand, because most of them have been where you are now. The key to your personal success in this effort is to use poise, grace and tact. Be sure to read the do’s and don’ts of networking presented later in this article, and use them as your guide.

Establishing Your Core Network

When establishing your network, start first with your family and relatives and work your way out. Make a list of family, relatives, former classmates, teachers and former employers. In most cases, your immediate family and relatives, and perhaps a very close friend, will constitute your core network. The people in your core network will be able to help you expand your network through their own acquaintances. Don’t forget to include people you know from clubs and religious groups and acquaintances from professional associations. Everyone you’ve ever come in contact with is a potential link in your network.

The Basics of Networking

There are two ways to operate your network---the spoken word and the written word. The first is the most common. If you network vigorously, your phone will become an extension of your ear. Your networking goals are to:

• Let people know you are available for the job market.

• Discover hidden openings.

• Increase your knowledge of what’s required by organizations.

• Hone your interviewing skills.

The first step is to identify the key people in your network. These key people should be those who most likely can refer you to people who know of job opportunities. You have already started making your list. Expand it to include not only the name of your contact, but also his or her title, company, address and phone number. Next to each name, put down what you hope to gain from the contact.

You would use the same format for family and relatives. When you start with friends of the family, be sure to start with those people who generally come in contact with a lot of people on a regular basis. Professional people, by the nature of their jobs, interact with a variety of people all the time. For your initial contact, phone numbers are enough, but as you move forward in the process you will need all the relevant contact information, including address. The key is that you develop an organized approach to networking.

Networking by Phone and Letter

Before you contact anyone, be sure that you have your personal script developed. A script is simply a brief introduction of who you are, who referred you, what you are calling for, and what you want from the person you are contacting. You need a well-crafted script for the phone and for your letters.

Contacting people by phone is almost always better because it’s faster and more direct. But a letter can also be effective. Here is an example of a networking letter to a friend:

The important thing to remember about sending a letter is that you need to be brief and to the point. Letters are more likely to be read if you know the person, or if someone who is a close acquaintance has referred you to the person. Don’t send a long drawn out letter explaining every detail of your situation. Simply state what your situation is and what help you are seeking. Never ask about a job in a networking letter. Notice how gracefully Nicole worded her purpose: "...seeking your advice and information to help me locate an expanding firm..." Greg will appreciate not being pressured to help find a job in his organization. Most of the time, if a person is a close friend, they won’t mind looking around for you, but let that be their choice.

Networking by Phone

When networking by phone, it is important to have your script ready before you begin. It’s important to be business-like and direct, and be respectful of the time you spend on the phone. An example of a networking phone call to someone you know may sound like this:

You see how it works? Kevin isn’t pressuring Greg by asking for a job. He’s probing and asking about opportunities in a very graceful way. There are other scenarios that you should review before picking up the phone or writing a letter. Your relationship with the person you are contacting should determine how you should approach the person. Cold calls can especially be difficult, so let a career professional help you. The worst thing you can do is ruin a good contact because of improper protocol. This is typically where people make the most mistakes and give networking a bad name.

Networking Outside the Comfort Zone

By and large, networking among family and close friends is not all that difficult once you have the basics down. Perhaps the single biggest disadvantage Blacks and other minorities face in the job search is that far too often they will operate in an exclusively minority network. In other words, we tend to stay in our comfort zones, i.e. family, friends, etc. It’s quite alright to start within your comfort zone to help you build confidence and get the basics down pat. But if you stay in your comfort zone, you will certainly limit your career opportunities.

Don’t close the door on the majority of the openings and career opportunities that are out there. The real key to developing a non-minority network is to genuinely seek friendships among other racial groups. Genuine friendships are the foundation for any meaningful network. Whatever you do, it’s got to be you and it’s got to be real. Here are some tips that will help you come out of your comfort zone and integrate your network:

• Go out of your way to participate in community activities where you will be with racial groups different from yourself. Volunteer as much time as you can reasonably spare.

• Participate in organizations on-campus where the majority are non-minorities. Look at organizations for which you truly have an interest. It may be student government, the environment or an international organization.

• Try at the very least to develop speaking relationships with people from the majority culture. Don’t force a relationship simply to help develop your network. Try to find common ground with a person and you’ll find it much easier being around them. You don’t have to "be/act white" and they don’t have to "be/act Black" to establish a good relationship. Just be yourself and let things happen naturally.

• Attend speakers’ bureaus, workshops, and seminars in which most participants are non-minorities.

• Go back and look up former classmates or co-workers who are white and re-establish lines of communication.

• Include whites and people from other racial/ethnic groups on your guest list for social occasions.

• Never overlook any opportunity to expand your circle of influence.

Networking Do’s and Don’ts

Some important Do’s for the job search include:

• Remember to identify your skills and experience.

• Be clear about your job or career objective.

• Be clear and concise about the help you are seeking.

• Find common ground and pursue it.

• Seek advice and be a good listener.

• Keep appointments and promises.

• Express your appreciation for the contacts' time and advice.

• Send a thank-you note to each person who spends time with you.

• Develop a system so you know whom you have contacted, how and when you contacted them and what the outcome was or action you need to take.

• Be genuine, confident, and enthusiastic in all your networking communications.

• Consider everyone you meet a prospect.

After you have landed the job, there are some other very important Do’s you should be aware of: 

• When you have secured a job, inform your contacts promptly---at least within two weeks. This will impress people and allow you to always have a good contact.
• When others ask you for help, be willing to give it. Networking is a two-way process.
• Keep adding to your list of contacts, even after you have found your first job. Networking will always be an important human interaction and will assist you in the future.
• Join the local chapter of the professional organization related to your field. This is critical if you expect to advance in your field.

Don’t:

• Ask a contact in your network for a job. Remember that your goal is to seek suggestions and advice. Let them be the one to go beyond this fundamental goal.

• Be bitter or badmouth others.

• Push too hard. Putting pressure on people usually will turn them off.

• Mistreat or be rude to secretaries. This could be a very critical mistake and will always hurt your chances with whomever you are trying to network with.

Remember that networking is about building relationships---it’s not about using people. That means helping others as well as asking for help. Don’t be surprised if someone you’ve asked for help turns to you for assistance in the future. Remember too, that networking doesn’t end when you’ve found the job you wanted. It is a continuous process. Start networking now, but plan to continue to establish professional links. You’ll not only have a professional network at your disposal when it’s time for a career move, you’ll also be aware of opportunities, even if you weren’t planning a move! If you remember that effective networking is about building and maintaining relationships, you will do well using these techniques.

Good job-hunting!

A. Tariq Shakoor is the director of the Career Center at Emory University.