Networking or more casually known as “relationship-ing” is simply the active process of learning about and getting to know others with professional interests in mind. This is one of the most successful ways to develop and design your career path!
You can grow and develop your network at all stages of your life – whether it is to help you explore career possibilities, learn about unique roles and opportunities as you approach a job search, or make a career transition in the future.
HOW TO GET STARTED
There are many ways you can begin networking in a variety of environments - right here on campus at Auburn!
Engineering Career EventsThe CDCR regularly hosts career events where you can connect with employers and/or alumni in different settings and for different purposes.
- Career Fair | Engage with 60+ employers hiring for internships, co-ops, and full-time roles. A great place for freshmen - seniors and graduate students to explore opportunities, practice networking, and make connections that have immediate or future payoff. Learn more about career fairs >>
- Industry Day | Designed to showcase a particular industry area where you can learn from industry leaders from diverse group of companies. Format typically entails lunch, brief pitch or presentation from company participants, and an open browse and networking session.
- Lunch and Learn | Informal small group mentoring meetings with employers over lunch where they discuss their professional experiences and career advice.
- Employer-in-Residence | One-on-one or small group sessions with employers as they share advice on professional development topics such as reviewing a resume, interview preparation tips, navigating a job search, and more.
- Table Talk | Casual tabling sessions in which employers can answer questions + tell you about their company and opportunities
- Student Organization Meeting with Employer Guest | Employers visit student organization meetings to meet students interested in specific industry areas on present on relevant topics
Find all upcoming Engineering Career Events!
Student Organizations, Research Groups, or Project Teams
Join a student organization, research group, or project team. Get to know and learn about the experiences of your peers with like-minded interests! Consider joining the student chapter of an engineering professional association and attend a professional conference to meet and learn about the career path of professionals in your field of interest.
Faculty Members
Visit faculty members to discuss possible research interests, opportunities, and advice about graduate school.
KEY NETWORKING RULES
- Think long term. Networking is not about a transactional experience where you should expect to get a concrete outcome from your first conversation. It is about getting to know and learn about others in a way that establishes and maintains a connection over time.
- The more you give, the more you’ll get. Networking is most useful when it is beneficial to both parties. While you can benefit from learning about a day-in-the-life of a professional’s job role, they can benefit from something you have to offer as well. While you may not feel you have much to give, consider what would be of interest to your contact. An alum might appreciate an update about what is happening in Auburn Engineering.
- Quality over quantity. Networks are truly established with people you establish, maintain, and expand a relationship with. Five contacts you sustain a relationship with over time are more valuable than 500 virtual connections.
NEXT STEPS
1. Build your base of contacts. Create a list of 10-20 people you know. You may be surprised how many contacts you already have! Start by considering the 5 F’s of networking:- Friends | Current and former classmates, fraternity or sorority friends, teammates, friends of friends
- Family | Moms, Dads, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, In-Laws, So-close-they’re-family friends, neighbors
- Faculty | Professors, Teaching Assistants, Staff, Graduate Students, School Administrators, Advisors, Coaches
- Fellow Peers and Alumni | Co-workers, Student Organization Members, Alumni Councils for your department or organization or within 100+ Women Strong, Auburn alumni found on LinkedIn
- Foundations and Associations | Career societies relevant to your interest areas such as AiCHE, ASCE, ASABE, NSBE, SHPE, SWE, IEEE. Consider starting by exploring the student chapters of these associations.
- Others | People you volunteered with, local business owners. Brainstorm!
2. Learn about industry areas and identify additional potential contacts using our Online Resources for Networking. You started with the people you know, or the people you know who know someone. Now you can expand by digging into more specific areas of interest and identifying contacts with links to those interests.
- Ginn Connections
- CareerShift
- Vault
3. Build or update personal branding materials and social networking profiles.
Professional contacts and employers want to get a sense of who they are engaging (and potentially employing!). The way you represent yourself within digital communities needs to project a positive image. Do not post anything you would not want a potential employer to see.
Keep track of all applicable materials and profiles including:
- Resume and Cover Letter
- Handshake
- ePortfolio
- GitHub
Reach out to contacts with a personable approach and an intent to learn from their experience – not an intent to get something from them (i.e. can you help me get a job?). When reaching out to potential contacts for the first time, consider:
- Your personal pitch, or elevator pitch: a brief (30 second - 2 minute) introduction which helps a professional contact get to know a bit about you, your experience, and your interests and goals
- Requesting an informational interview or career conversation: a "get to know you conversation" where you can ask questions about your contact's professional role, pathway to their current position, and advice for students or new professionals exploring their industry area.
- Keep track of who you want to reach out to, who you meet with, and topics of discussion.
5. Follow up and continue the relationship.
Make sure to continue communicating so the experience is not limited to a one-time conversation, but grows into an established contact.- Note and record personal details you gleaned from the conversation. Tailor your future follow ups to the needs and interests of your contact.
- Thank them promptly and often for their help. Express your gratitude for their time and advice.
- Keep your contacts informed about your career-related progress and job search activity.
- Keep yourself updated about events and activities that might involve or impact your contacts. Research news sources associated with their industry and follow key players and organizations through social media.
- You will make a good impression by showing you act and communicate in a professional manner.
- When a job opening comes along, your contact might think of you. While informational interviews sometimes result in opportunities – they don’t always. Make sure you never expect to get a job directly from them.
HOW TO FIND COMPANY CONTACTS
Did you write down the name of the employer you met with at a recent career event but forget to ask for their contact information? It is time to use your research skills. Here are 3 ways to locate a company contact:
- Handshake Search the company's name in the Handshake search bar and navigate to the company's Handshake page. Search the page for the Contact List. Some companies list a general contact email and phone number, while others include a specific recruiter's name and contact information. See if there is a contact listed who matches the person you met with.
- CareerShift A subscription-based database you have exclusive access to through Auburn University. You can search companies and view contacts within a company to access the company's employees and locate their e-mail and phone number. Review the CareerShift tutorial here.
- LinkedIn Develop a LinkedIn profile, search for your contact, and send a customized connection message. Don't have a LinkedIn account yet?
Recommend ways to search for your contact on LinkedIn:
- Search the employer's name in the site search bar
- Search the company name, navigate to the company's LinkedIn page, select "people" on the left menu, search the employer name