Networking

Approximately 70% of all jobs are found through networking! Most career counseling professionals estimate that at least 50% of the jobs that are filled are never advertised; so how do people find out about these opportunities? Current employees will often tell their networking associates when a position is opening and/or help those associates get interviews. With this in mind, you can see how valuable this step is in your job search.

Networking, in reality, is relationship building. The basics include:

• Build a contact management database of who you know
• Email contacts to prepare them for your request for a conversation
• Phone within 72 hours of requesting said meeting
• Conduct meeting/informational interview
• Send thank you note
• Follow up one month later to update the contact on your progress

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a professional networking site of more than 30 million experienced professionals. As a student, you can create a profile and join any of the University of Dallas LinkedIn Groups to gain access to University of Dallas employers and alumni.