In today’s competitive job market, finding career opportunities and internships might feel like navigating a maze without a clear strategy. Amongst the various approaches used by job seekers, networking stands as a formidable tool and secret weapon. According to Zippia, while referrals constitute merely 7% of applicants, they account for roughly 45% of internal hiring. This underscores the importance of networking in gaining access to unadvertised opportunities and advancing one’s career.
Benefits
Connect with mentors: Networking helps you find people to guide and support you. Mentors offer advice, share their experiences, and help individuals build skills and confidence. Building meaningful relationships can significantly accelerate one’s professional development and performance.
Access to opportunities: Vacant positions do not always appear on a company’s career site, public ads or social media, as they may be filled through internal recommendations. Individuals who have cultivated a robust professional network stand a greater chance of being discovered and hired. According to Glassdoor’s data, employee referrals enhance the probability of getting hired by 2.6–6.6%.
Boost visibility: Proactive participation in networking activities increases visibility within the industry and expands one’s network. Regularly attending industry events, engaging in online communities, and initiating meaningful conversations helps one stand out, ready to contribute to the field.
Gain insights: Networking with professionals offers you a deeper grasp of industry trends, challenges, and opportunities. Initiating conversations with experts is a gateway to access first-hand knowledge and expertise.
Strategies
While being aware of the importance of networking is crucial, mastering the art takes effort and planning. Here are some strategies to effectively use your contacts for internships and job opportunities.
Join online communities: Being a part of online platforms like LinkedIn, professional forums, and industry-specific groups is important. The idea is to unlock potential jobs by reaching out to professionals in similar fields, and with similar interests and career goals. Once users learn the trick of networking effectively with safe browsing practices, these platforms serve as an invaluable source of global connections.
Attend industry events: Seminars, conferences, career fairs, webinars, happy-hour networking and workshops help you increase your network and interact with like-minded professionals. A proactive approach involves actively engaging in conversations, capitalising on opportunities, and seizing every chance to exchange personal contacts. This is not only about collecting business cards but forging genuine connections that can be a two-way street.
Ask thoughtful questions: Engage in meaningful discourse while attending networking events. Asking insightful questions that demonstrate a strong interest in the other person’s opinions and experiences is an excellent method to start a discussion and stay relevant. Active listening is more than simply hearing; it demonstrates your ability to sympathise with others’ experiences and recognise their point of view.
Personalised emails: In an age when social networking sites have become the primary mode of communication, taking the time to create a simple personalised email can go a long way toward cementing bonds and developing long-term professional partnerships. It exhibits professionalism and reinforces a positive impression.
The writer is Principal, Jasudben ML School and Bloomingdales Pre-Primary.
