The Purpose of Networking is to build contacts and develop long-term professional relationships. The connections you gradually develop can provide insight into job opportunities that you may not have known about without your networking contacts.  This event will be focused on networking, developing professional connections, and maintaining relationships. If you are interested in meeting with a particular employer, we suggest attending recruiting events, such as career fairs, Trojan Talks, and OCR events.  It is important to differentiate between these two concepts and develop the professional skills needed for both types of events.

Building Professional Connections

• 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.
• Informational Interviews help you connect with professionals to obtain personal insight into a particular profession.

The ability to build professional relationships and contacts through networking differs from attending a career fair and pitching yourself to a recruiter as to why you are a good fit. The Viterbi Career Connections team encourages Viterbi students to meet with employers at recruiting events and build professional contacts during networking events.  We highly encourage you to attend both recruiting and networking events.

It is essential to recognize that recruiters are more likely to connect with you only for a specific job opportunity, and the duration of your relationship will be short and focused on hiring when attending a fair.  Networking contacts are more likely to connect with you based on shared interests and or mentor/mentee relationships that are more long-term, providing you with information and guidance throughout your career.