Job & Internship Toolkit ➜ Networking

Networking

Networking is Important To Your Career Success

But what is networking, exactly? It is building a professional network to support you throughout your career journey.

Networking Defined: To build contacts and develop long-term professional relationships.

These connections help expand your job opportunities.
People hire people! Networking is integral in the job search. It truly is about “who you know”.
There’s a hidden job market. Not all positions are posted online, instead filled internally or via networking.
Internal referrals (formal or informal) boost your chances of getting a job.

Building & Maintaining Connections

Building your networking begins with who you already know.

Make friends first! Get to know people, find out what you both mutually like to do or talk about, so you never have any awkward silence.
Every connection is a good connection. Anybody has the potential to help you out in multiple ways.
Check-in on people, because you care and like them not because you are hoping they have a job for you. You don’t always have to talk about work or jobs.
Offer before you ask. Think about the person’s needs and how you can help them as well.

Informational Interviews are a great place to start. They help you discover what you really want to do and connect with people too.

Develop a strategy and set a goal - You need to write things down, put in your calendar when and how to follow-up.

Follow up is an essential part of being a good connection.

Send a "Thank You" message immediately after meeting someone new.
Remember to tailor your message to the person.
Keep the message professional and concise.

Connect Quickly:

Decide the best way to contact them if you had any follow up.
A phone call, e-mail or a request to connect on the business networking site, LinkedIn.
In the message, remind them how you met. Perhaps there is information you can send them, ex. a relatable article on some new technology in the industry.
You can suggest getting together for coffee, invite them to something you are going to, etc.
See how you can help them. You may not think you have much to offer, but you can connect them with a student group, professor, or previous employer.

Stay in Touch. Networking is not an event. It’s a process and follow up is the most important part.

Use social media! Facebook is a more personal space, best to “like” their business page and stay on top of their company news.
Did they post a job opening? Suggest some qualified candidates that you know.
Did they announce a redesign of their website? Let them know what you think.
Share news that would interest them
Keep in touch with your network regularly, even if it’s a brief email to say hello and ask how they’re doing. Share your own updates/life events, or Holiday messages.
Track conversations and set alerts to follow up or check-in consistency without having it overwhelm you. You can use Excel, Google calendar, an alert App, etc.

Ask questions about the person. People like to talk to people who are interested in them.
Discuss projects and accomplishments related to the job types and/or industry that you
are interested in.
Don't limit your conversation to career-related topics. It is completely acceptable to have conversations on hobbies, sports, music, movies, food & wine, fun L.A. activities, theater, ballet, museums, etc.
Focus the conversation on things you have in common, or things you want to learn.
Talk to everyone, even if they are not in the industry or company you are interested in.
A conversation with one person can lead to a conversation with another. The people you meet may introduce you to their colleague, friend or family member.
At the end of your conversation, ask for a card or contact information, and the time frame in which they wish to be contacted.
Make sure your online presence is up to date. It is common for people to want to follow up in different ways (LinkedIn, Instagram, email, phone, etc.)
Follow up! Set up a follow up meeting, or ask them if they are attending more events in the future. Informational interviews can also be something you request as a follow up.

Where & How to Connect

Student Clubs

Build relationships with your peers, fellow organization members and club executive boards. Find groups to join by browsing engageSC or visiting the USC Involvement Fair.

engageSC

Campus Events

Reach out to other students attending campus events. Peers at the same events may have similar interests. Locate events on connectSC, Viterbi Career Gateway or the USC Events Calendar.

USC Events Calendar

Professors

Professors are more than just an academic resource. They can offer research opportunities, connections to other faculty members or employers, and give invaluable advice.

Viterbi Faculty Directory

Alumni

Connect with the Trojan Family on campus or through Viterbi Link. Alumni have been in your shoes and can provide advice on personal, academic and professional development.

Viterbi Link

Workshops

Peers attending campus workshops likely have the same questions as you do. Use each other as resources to collaborate and exchange ideas. Find workshops on Viterbi Career Gateway.

Explore Workshops

Career Fairs

Career fairs offer a traditional means of connecting with a wide range of recruiters. Remember to bring copies of your resume, dress professionally and prepare your elevator pitch in advance.

Career & Internship Expo

Informational Interview Guide

What better way to learn about your potential future career than talking to someone currently in a position you're interested in? Informational Interviewing is a process will allow you to gain perspective, learn more about a profession, and help you solidify whether or not this is the right career path for you.

What is an Informational Interview?

A one-on-one meeting with a professional who has a job you might like, who works within an industry you might want to enter, or someone employed by a specific company that you are interested in learning about.
During this interview, you will try to learn what inspired her/him to enter this field and gain insight into th organization.

Why are Informational Interviews important?

Meeting with a professional in a one-on-on setting to develop professional contacts for the future. This interview can give you an inside perspective of the day-to-day life, responsibilities and work culture into your
potential future career.
It will provide you a chance to really articulate your strengths and interests in a safe-setting.
It provides an opportunity to develop your interview skills in front of a professional in your field.
You can learn what skills you are lacking and how to improve your chances in obtaining a career in their industry.

Locating People to Interview:

Speak with people in your circle such as friends, family members, and LinkedIn connections to locate
appropriate sources.
You can also ask multiple staff, professors or any other people that could possibly give you a contact name.
Try to contact a suggested person through email, telephone, mail or networking opportunities.
Use Viterbi Link and the LinkedIn Alumni Tool to find professionals that are connected to USC who might be willing to help

Scheduling the Interview:

When sending your request, make sure to be clear about your motivation, explaining your situation and interest.
Inform them how much you would appreciate their. expertise knowledge, skill and experience in their industry.
Most informational interviews are about 30 minutes long. Be prepared with dates and times that you are available to meet with this person before you arrange your meeting.
Allow a minimum of 2-3 weeks to schedule your phone or in-person interview.
If your contact person is unable to meet you, ask them if they could refer you to someone else.
Keep in mind that you are asking for a favor, making the scheduling process as easy as possible for the professional is
the best way to get them to agree to meet with you!

Prepare for the Interview:

Prepare at least 10-15 questions you would like to ask about their career pathway, industry tips, or specific questions about their company culture. Create more questions than needed, but end early if they are busy.
Treat this meeting similar to a job interview, arriving on time with a note pad and pen.
It is very possible that the person you are interviewing may ask you some questions about yourself and your goals, so be prepared to answer questions such as “Why did you want to interview me?” What interests you about my position?

Conducting the Interview

Make sure you arrive 15-minutes early if you are meeting in person.
Do not just ask the questions that you bring with you, it should only serve as a guide to the interview process.
If they answer with something that strikes an interest, continue to ask additional questions.
Ask some icebreaker questions at the very beginning and a few follow-up advice questions at the end.
The purpose of the interview is to provide a learning opportunity, not a strategy to obtain a job or internship.
Focus on asking for advice and information on how to enter that specific job type or industry.
Whether you are on the phone or in-person take detailed notes of their answers.
At the end of the interview, thank the professional for their time and reiterate how much you appreciate them for taking time out of their day to talk with you.

After the Interview:

Add detailed notes after your discussion and review the answers to decide what additional information or research you need to develop your action plans.
Send a thank you note to your interviewee.
Take advantage of any referrals you received and request that you stay connected by email, LinkedIn or both.
If they provided you a referral, contact them within the next week (do not wait too long to contact).

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Published on April 15th, 2020

Last updated on August 4th, 2023