Networking, the Best Source of Finding a Job

With the Internet, recruiters get hundreds or thousands applications across the country within hours. However, there is no way for a manager to read all of those applications. Employers these days rely instead on internal referrals to decide whom to interview, which is also showed by LifeHacker (See ”This Chart Shows How Important Networking Is to Finding a Job”). Therefore, networking should be our top concern. Here are some ways to harness it in your job hunt.


1.       Create a List of Dream Employers.

Add the employers you have always aspired to work for or you are interested in through post searching, and then systematically look for each employer’s peers and add them into your spreadsheet as well. You can use the database in university, or some free options like Wikipedia and Google to make the list. Prioritize your list of employers.

2.       Find Alumni Employees and Arrange a Phone Call or Personal Meeting.

Try searching social and business networking sites such as LinkedIn, or ask career center, to find Alumni who is working for the companies in your list.  Ask for a 10 minutes chat through phone or in-person. Be mindful if the person is not in the same region as you.  Prepare questions about the position, company and industry trend. Remember to be a good listener and note taker. Don’t forget to ask for reaching out more employees in the company in different department.  

3.       Join Groups and Attend Events by Professional Organizations.

If you are a student, you can attend campus events organized by career center and specialized clubs. If you already graduated, alumni associations and professional conferences can be your good choices.  Identify the company or the person that you want to meet in advance, and get their contact information to follow up.

Source: The 2-Hour Job Search