Networking
& LinkedIn
Networking Facts
 80% of today’s jobs are not advertised!
 Companies rely on their networks to
avoid the flood of unqualified candidates
when posting a job online.
 Employers trust their employees, friends,
and colleagues.
 Personal referrals reduce the cost and
time of open hiring
Why Networking?
 If you have a connection to an individual
that the employer consults, it may be
YOU who is referred for an open job
 Employer is often less selective
 Less competition (if any at all)
 Networking is an essential skill for
career survival.
Ways to Network
 Speak to existing contacts
 Family, friends, colleagues
 Contact industry professionals for an
informational interview or meeting
 Attend a career fair
 Join professional organizations
 Campus organizations
 Volunteering or Internships
 Social media (LinkedIn, Facebook)
Identify Your Network
 Personal: Family, friends, acquaintances, service providers,
religious ties, neighbors
 Professional: Colleagues, employees in other
organizations, internship supervisors
 Educational: Professors, alumni, TAs, other students,
department advisors
 Community: Fraternity, campus club, service groups,
professional organizations
 Opportunistic: People you meet in your day-to-day life
 Strategic: Representatives at organizations you want to
work for.
Make a List
WORKSHEET
 Fill in the categories at home.
 Add any categories that come
to mind that are not listed.
Planning
 Establish clear goals for your job search
 Identify related companies and
professional organizations
 Add phone numbers and email addresses
to your master list of contacts
 Prioritize based on relevance to job
search
 Label them with A, B, C, and D in order of how
much of a help you think they may be
 Contact some C’s or D’s to practice
Need help deciding what your career goals are?
Attend ICC Career Exploration Workshop or see
a Coordinator
What to Talk About When Networking
 Begin with your “Elevator Speech”
 Introduce yourself
 Briefly state your professional goals
 Concisely explain your related skills and
abilities
 Ask relevant questions about career field
or position
 Stay connected
 Request a business card
 Ask for referrals to other professionals that you
should speak with
Practice Your Elevator Speech!
Don’t forget: Smile, eye contact, firm handshake.
Informational Interviews
 The best way to network is face to face
 Schedule an “informational interview” or
“networking meeting” with top contacts
 15-20 minute meeting where you ask
questions about the contact’s experiences,
the career field, & the company
 Email, call or use LinkedIn to attempt to
set up the meeting
Most contacts will be happy to help!—They get
to talk about themselves for 20 minutes!
Email Outline
Dear Mr. Reader,
First Paragraph: State how you heard about the person? Have
you been following their career?
Second Paragraph: Introduce yourself. Give a quick summary of
your education, skills, experience in the field. No experience?
Highlight enthusiasm and personal qualities.
Third Paragraph: Ask for a meeting. Example: If possible, I
would appreciate an opportunity to visit with you for 15-20
minutes to hear about your pathway into your current position,
and hopefully get some insight and suggestions on where my
skills and abilities would be of the greatest value to the ________
field.
Fourth Paragraph: Describe Action: I look forward to
contacting you early next week to set up a meeting at your
convenience. Thank you for your consideration.
Handout:
Meeting Request
Phone
 Follow the same basic structure
as email
 Make it clear that you are not
requesting a job
 May need to get past the
“gatekeeper”
If your contact is not available for an in-person
meeting, you can do an informational interview
over the phone or via Skype.
Friends and Relatives
 Take a more casual approach:
 Ask them how they are doing
first!
 Ask about their kids, their dog, their
wife, their job, etc.
 Tell them that you are searching
for employment
 Explain what you are looking for
and your qualifications
 They need to know what to say to
the potential employer if asked
What if They Say No?
4 most common reasons:
1. "I do not have time"
Does not see your request as a priority.
Suggest several meeting dates in the future.
Suggest meeting for coffee or during lunch.
Clarify that you will respect their time and
only need 15-20 minutes.
2. "I do not think I can help you”
Concerned that you are requesting help in
finding a job. Say you are simply exploring
and want their personal perspective on the
industry.
What if They Say No?
3. "You must be looking for HR; I do not hire
people"
They think you are calling for a job.
Redirect and apologize for misleading. You
are not looking to meet with them about a
job; you are seeking insight on careers.
4. “Organization policy does not allow me to
discuss inside information with people”
State that you respect their privacy and you
are not seeking any proprietary
information. Rather, you are looking to
discuss the general profile of the industry.
Networking Tips
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Do your research
Wear interview attire
Have a list of questions (CRM)
Have your resume ready
 They may ask for it
 Ask for additional contacts
 Follow up with a thank you letter
 Email is fine
Sample Questions
 HANDOUT-Informational Interview
Questions
 Tailor your questions to organization
and industry
 Two most important questions:
 Do you know of anyone else I could
speak to for further strategy
advice?
 May I stay in touch with you for
help with my strategy along the
way?
At a Career Fair or Event
 Set achievable goals
 Talk to at least 2 new people
 Do research; know company information
 Plan what you are going to say
 Elevator speech will be your foundation
 Bring business cards
 Follow up
 If you are handed a business card, email
the person within 24 hours
 Follow directions
Internet Networking
LinkedIn
 Web-based professional
networking tool
 Find individuals you may not have
access to otherwise.
 More than 238 million users
 Some companies recruit exclusively
with LinkedIn
Connect to the ICC on LinkedIn!
Profile
Profilewizard
guides
you step
by step
Share
positive &
professional
updates
Key points about Profile Sections:
 SUMMARY: should be strong introduction to your
experience and goals; like “Elevator Speech”
 EXPERIENCE: sorted chronologically, your professional
experience is listed with recommendations; like resume
with organization descriptions possible.
 EDUCATION: degrees, honors, awards & courses that
support your goals
 PROJECTS: great for students or others with less
experience; describe special projects that relate to field
 SKILLS & EXPERTISE: searchable- so make sure you use
‘key words’ related to your experience and your goals
Make it Complete!
 Users with complete profiles are 40 times
more likely to receive opportunities
through LinkedIn.
 What makes your profile complete?
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Your industry and location
An up-to-date current position (with a description)
Two past positions
Your education
Your skills (minimum of 3)
Profile photo
At least 50 connections
You can import your resume;
but make sure to edit!
Now You Have Your Profile:
How Do You Use It?
The point of LinkedIn is to make connections
Need to reach out in various ways
Some restrictions on connecting (free or paid)
Import your email contacts
Add people who are connected to you through
others (2nd & 3rd degree connections)
 Request a contact
 View list of colleagues and classmates that are
already on LinkedIn
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Other Ways to Connect on LinkedIn
 Use search engines to locate key people or
companies within your field
 Follow specific companies or individuals
 Join Groups (ICC, UCD Alumni, Dentists, etc.)
 Connect to people in the same group as you
 Following companies can give you up-to-date
information on places you may be interested
in working for
 See who else is connected to the company
 Be Impressive: Post information, articles, data,
etc. on group pages. This will increase your visibility
in LinkedIn.
Resources for LinkedIn
 LinkedIn Learning Center:
http://learn.linkedin.com/
 About.com: LinkedIn
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/netw
orking/a/linkedin2.htm
THANK YOU!
UC Davis Internship and Career Center
Open Mon-Fri 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, South Hall 2nd floor
Summer Drop-In Advising:
Mon-Thurs, 1:30 – 3:30 pm
Appointments with Coordinators Available:
Call (530) 752-2855
Visit icc.ucdavis.edu