According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70% of all jobs are found through networking. Seventy percent! That’s more than 2 out of 3 jobs! But how can an undergrad benefit from this?? Well, there are many who are fortunate enough to have parents that can become essential connections to getting themselves in the corporate world once you finish your studies. But what to do when that’s not an option?
As I’ve gotten my invitation to speak to the undergrads at Barry University for the upcoming semester, I started recollecting some of the questions at my last presentation in front of undergrads. The scenario above was brought up by one courageous undergrad, which managed to raise eyebrows from many others in the room.
It was a very good question, and I was (surprisingly prepared) actually had the answer in hand, and this goes beyond the common avenues such as Career Services, etc.
You Say You Don’t Know Anyone. However…..
By no planning of my own, when I graduated I was actually in a position where I wanted to remain in the United States after my studies and I had no contacts in the area to help me find employment. Yet I found a job through networking (almost unknowingly).
I had stopped by Barry University (after graduation) to pick up my diploma, which took weeks to be available. Since I was already on campus, I decided to stop by say and hello to some of my professors. In chatting with one professor in particular, I mentioned to her how I was currently in an entry-level office job, but it was part-time and was not happy since they were delaying my transition to full time.
Out of her extreme generosity (it was not my intention to ask), she started discussing about certain people who she kept in touch with from two different companies. And knowing me from several semesters of classes with her, she knew I would be a good fit for what the companies did (now we would need to see if either company would have such a role available for me)
Guess what? One of them did. She sent an e-mail, copying me on it, with my resume and a quick recommendation to see if they had anything available, and after a few (interesting) interviews, I had a job.
Two years later, I’ve started building my network of business contacts. Although small, they were people where out paths have crossed more than once since, and I’m happy to continue building upon it as I climb higher. But I’ll never forget how it all started with one simple contact with my professors.
Here’s a quick recap why your professors can be great networking tools:
- They have worked with you. If you have put the time in your studies and participated in class, they can be a great endorser for you.
- They have actual work experience elsewhere, so they can leverage their contacts for you.
- They can help you with your resume (they have likely seen millions before)
Oh, and this was not a one-off case either. I’ve had several professors of mine offer a few contacts that could help me potentially work together with them. So there are plenty of opportunities out there.
So talk to your professors, see whats out there. If you have not been employed (at an actual office job) yet, chances are that they know you at a professional level better than anyone else.
Best of luck, and if you have any questions, contact me anytime!