What Is Networking?

Benefits of Networking | Finding Networking Contacts

Networking -- talking to people who work in certain fields or attend schools in which you might be interested -- is one of the best ways to gain knowledge about a particular career field, job type, or graduate school. Networking provides an opportunity to gather valuable information in a low-stress situation while allowing you to make contacts in your field of interest. Asking someone outright for an internship or job is not networking!

Benefits of Networking

• First-hand and current information allows you to learn what happens on the job beyond the understanding provided through course work or other outside research. This is beneficial not only for personal understanding but may make you a more impressive candidate.
• A perspective of work that goes beyond the limitations of job titles, allowing one to see what skills are required for the job and how you might fit into that work setting.
• Informational meetings and conversations are comparatively low-stress (when compared to interviewing for a job), and this process allows you to gain confidence in talking with people while learning what you need to know.
• Because you are only asking for information, you are in control of the interview. You decide what questions to ask and evaluate the information you are given for personal use.
• You craft a network of contacts that may be helpful in the future.
• You have an opportunity to meet with potential employers before the more stressful (for both of you) job interview.
• You are exposed to a variety of jobs and personalities of companies/agencies making the search for your "niche" that much easier.
• You have the opportunity to learn where you might fit into a particular organization.

Finding Networking Contacts

Talking to people and learning from their experiences doesn’t have to be a formal process or one you practice only when job hunting. There are numerous resources available enabling you to pinpoint the people you’d like to contact.

• Wesleyan alumni and parents. Alumni and parents are an excellent source of information and you are guaranteed to have at least one thing in common: Wesleyan. This link creates a less stressful atmosphere in which to interview and therefore, a more informative opportunity. We recommend starting with younger alumni and then moving to more seasoned contacts as your questions and interests evolve.
• Professors. Even though many liberal arts professors have spent their entire working lives in an educational environment, they can still be a wealth of information about specific disciplines they have encountered through their research or outside interests. Faculty are also often a good resource for those considering attending graduate school.
• Friends, family, and acquaintances. Chat with people casually--on a plane or bus, while waiting in lines, at social gatherings, etc. Most people enjoy talking about the work they do. Curiosity can open a lot of doors.
• People you’ve heard about: lecturers, employers, prominent people in the community, etc.
• People in a position to know lots of other people/organizations: local newspaper editors, Chamber of Commerce staff, people in professional societies and associations, etc.

Clip or copy items pertaining to any area of interest (e.g., articles in newspapers, magazines, journals, etc.) especially articles describing people in the fields or in organizations that appeal to you. The Wesleyan University Magazine is an excellent source for this. Check the Career Resource Center library for valuable sources and guides that supply basic career and job information as well as employer names, addresses, and contact sources. Don’t hesitate to ask one of the counselors for help if you can’t find what you are looking for.  Write to organizations for brochures and pamphlets or visit their Web sites.   Ask yourself what it is you want to know and then figure out who has an investment in knowing that sort of information.

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