Networking
The top way to find a job is to network. Networking is your most important tool to land the job you’ve
been looking for. There are many ways to network. The best place to start is to talk to alumni, friends,
family, and professors.
The department graduate office holds a database of graduates and their current areas of employment.
The department can contact those alumni and see if they are willing to be contacted to give you advice
and information about the type of work they are doing. This could help you to extend your network of
contacts and improve your employability.
Another excellent way to network is to join associations and by attending National and International
conferences in your field of interest. A lot of associations list jobs that are available in the type of field
you are interested in and can help you to meet people to expand your network. Here are a few
associations for you to consider:
Baylor College of Medicine Alumni Relations
https://www.bcm.edu/alumni
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
http://www.asbmb.org/
Association of Medical and Graduate Departments of Biochemistry
http://www.amgdb.org/
World Association of Young Scientists
http://ways.org/en/topics/biochemistry_and_molecular_biology
American Association for the Advancement of Science
http://www.aaas.org/
Social networking is also a good way to network. Social networking sites help you reconnect with past
and present colleagues. Social networking sites can help you find and connect with people
employed in industries of interest to you. Here are a few websites to consider:
LinkedIn
www.Linkedin.com
Facebook
www.Facebook.com (be sure to make it a business account)
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How to introduce yourself to people on LinkedIn and/or alumni
Dear Dr. Ham,
I am a graduate student at Baylor College of Medicine majoring in biochemistry. I got your contact
information from the BCM Alumni Office. I am interested in pursuing a career path in public policy once
I graduate from BCM. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to talk to you about your professional
experience in public policy.
If you are willing, please reply by e-mail and we can setup a phone conference at a time that is
convenient for you. Thank you in advance for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you
and learning more about the field of public policy.
Sincerely,
Jane Doe
BMB Graduate Student
Following up on inquiries
If you do not hear from people you have tried networking with do not be surprised. Sometimes the
email goes into their spam, or they are busy and forget to respond. A good way to follow up is to make
a phone call.
Hi Mr. Ham,
My name is Jane Doe. I am a graduate student at Baylor College of Medicine. I emailed you a couple of
weeks ago about possibly setting up a conference call to talk about your experience in public policy. I
know you are very busy, so I thought I would try to speak to you by phone to possibly schedule a date.
Note: Be prepared to have a conversation if the person answers the phone. They may be willing to
talk to you right away so you should have your questions ready. Here are some sample questions you
could ask:
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3)
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6)
What does your typical day look like?
What do you find challenging about your job?
How did you get your position in the company?
Are there any special qualifications I need to have to obtain this position?
What advice do you have for someone just starting out?
What is something about your work that I couldn’t learn from graduate school or in a lab?
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Meeting in person
1) If you setup a meeting in person, be sure you show up early.
2) You should dress professionally to show you are serious about the type of field you are
interested in.
3) Always maintain eye contact.
4) If it feels appropriate go ahead and ask about where you can look for a job or resume advice.
5) Be respectful of your contacts time. When you see the time frame agreed upon is almost over,
start wrapping up the meeting and end the meeting on time.
6) If it feels appropriate, ask if you can keep in contact.
Important things to remember
Always remember to express you gratitude to the person who to the time to speak with you about a
position. A formal written thank you is best.
How to keep the relationship going
Keep in contact with your contacts. Remember, you are trying to expand your network and keep the
lines of communication open for the futures. Some ways you can do that are:
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Tell them the job you landed
Send birthday, holiday, or special occasion cards
Stop in and say hello when you are in the area
Meet for lunch or coffee
Drop them an email and ask how they are doing
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