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Networking Guide (Wharton Students & Alumni)

Table of Contents

SECTION 1 - Introduction
SECTION 2 - Why Network?
SECTION 3 - Seven Step Process of Networking
SECTION 4 - Networking Fears
SECTION 5 - Common Networking Errors
SECTION 6 - Employer Information Sessions

SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

Networking is the process of actively fostering contacts with people, with two basic goals in mind: greater visibility and increased information. You want to increase your visibility as a job candidate or as someone interested in a particular career field. You also want to gather information about the career field(s) you are exploring, organizations that may be potential employers, and names of other potential contacts.

Here are some guidelines to help you get started:

SECTION 2 - WHY NETWORK?

Networking is a powerful way of building professional relationships. If you are not sure what you want to do after you graduate, what better way to explore your options than to talk to people who have already made that decision? If you are looking for a job, networking has proven itself to be the number one way of finding employment leads, which may frequently result in increasing the number of interviewing opportunities open to you.

Networking is also an effective strategy for exploring career options. If you want to learn more about the challenges, rewards and demands of certain professions, talking to people who actually work in those fields is one of the most effective research strategies. While learning more about a company or a particular type of job, you are ALSO making connections with people who might be able to provide advice and assistance related to your future job search efforts.

might be able to provide advice and assistance related to your future job search efforts.

SECTION 3 - SEVEN STEP PROCESS OF NETWORKING

There are many ways to go about networking. Here are some steps to keep in mind as you start that you may find helpful:

Step 1 - Think About What You Want

Determine your purpose in advance. Are you in the process of seeking job leads? Do you want to explore and learn more about a career field or company by talking to someone in the field? Define your goals and what you ultimately hope to obtain by networking, so you can prepare questions accordingly and be prepared for questions you might be asked.

Step 2 - Develop a List of Contacts

Potential Contacts:

• Friends and family
• Professors, other students (including graduate students), and work/internship supervisors
• Alumni - Penn Alumni Clubs, Wharton Alumni Clubs, Penn Alumni Career Network
• Professional Associations and Conferences
• Career events and programs
• Employer presentations on campus
• Day-to-day (e.g., on the train, at social events, etc.)

The first and best place to look when trying to identify contacts is to speak with the network of people who already have some kind of connection with you. Your network already includes your family, friends, alumni, professors, and work/internship supervisors. Start with the people you know best; tell anyone and everyone what you are doing and ask if they have any advice or contacts (e.g., "I'm looking for a consulting job. Do you know anyone in the field?").

Penn has very active and supportive alumni. Both Penn Alumni Clubs and Wharton Alumni Clubs can be found around the country and the world and can be a great way to connect Penn graduates. You can also contact and get involved with organizations right here on campus, like the Association of Alumnae. Use directories of alumni to broaden your network. The Penn Alumni Career Network (PACNet), organized by Career Services and the Penn Alumni Office, is an excellent resource for finding alumni who have agreed to serve as sources of career information and advice. The Wharton Alumni Directory can also be useful for finding Wharton alumni in various fields, but is only available to Wharton alumni - not current students.

Professional organizations exist for every career field, such as the American Marketing Association or the Society of Human Resource Professionals. These organizations have members who are active in their field and can offer useful advice and information. Use resources like the Encyclopedia of Associations or the National Trade and Professional Associations Directory to get lists of numerous professional organizations (both of these are available in the Career Services library). Associations often host conferences or special events on campus or in town, which are networking smorgasbords - take advantage of these opportunities by attending. Often they provide extremely attractive membership rates for current students.

You might also use phone books, organizational directories, and the web to cultivate other contacts. This is equivalent to cold-calling, so it requires more creativity and persistence.

Step 3 - Contact the Person and Arrange a Meeting

Networking may be a very formal or informal process. You usually do not need to make an appointment to speak to a close family member. If you are at a convention or conference, you will do the majority of your networking before and after programs, during social events, and during arranged lunch or cocktail hours. If you wish to speak to a high-level manager in a big name firm, however, you will likely need to make a formal appointment, which may only last for a few minutes. Many people are willing to help, but their time is also a valuable commodity, so it is important to prepare ahead for maximum impact.

As a preliminary contact with someone not already close to you, you might write a letter of introduction. Indicate your interest in the contact's profession and organization and your desire to visit and talk with her/him about it. State in your letter that you plan to telephone in the next few days to arrange an appointment. This will alert the office that you plan to call and serve as a preliminary introduction. Do not expect the person to call you back. You must take the initiative.

Before making your phone call, have a clear idea of what you want to say. Emphasize that you are looking for information to help you evaluate your career options and, if relevant, that you are also trying to cultivate job leads. Even if you are looking for a job, put your focus on information gathering; during your conversation you might ask the contact about human resources or personnel contacts within the organization. Ask if he or she has 20 minutes or so when you might speak to him or her about the profession and the organization. Be prepared to explain the type of information you are looking for.

If you are looking for a job:

"Hello. My name is Jane Doe and I am a senior in the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. I got your name from [mutual contact], who suggested you would be a good person to ask for advice. I was hoping we might get together for a short meeting sometime soon. I would like to speak to you about the consulting field in general and also about whether you think it would be a good idea for me to pursue opportunities at your company."

(adapted from The Smart Woman's Guide to Interviewing and Salary Negotiation, p. 44)

If you are trying to gather information about careers:

"Hello. My name is John Smith and I am a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania. I got your name from Career Services' Penn Career Network. I am considering a major in marketing and am interested in learning more about careers in the field. I would like to speak with you, at your convenience, about your background and your company. I think the information that you and other alumni provide can be really valuable in formulating some of my own career goals."

Step 4 - Prepare Yourself for the Meeting

Whether you will be speaking to someone on the telephone or in his/her office setting, you should prepare ahead of time. Develop a list of questions that you want to ask. Spend some time looking at the organization's web site, so you know a little bit about the organization that employs your contact. Spend time reflecting on your own interests, skills, abilities, and personality, because it is quite likely that you will be asked questions about yourself. In order for someone to provide you with information and advice, they often want to know about your goals, so they can provide their advice in a meaningful way.

You might draw from the list of questions below when preparing for your meeting:

Sample Questions When Exploring Nature of the Career Field

Sample Questions When Job Hunting

Step 5 - During the Meeting

Whether on the phone or in person, be prepared, be prompt, and be courteous. If you arrange for a phone meeting, you should call the individual. Don't call too early, but do call on time. If the person sounds overly distracted and busy, you could politely offer to call at another time; however, this might be an indication of what life is like day-to-day in this type of job.

The networking meeting that takes place in a person's work setting can be quite valuable. Not only do you get to speak to someone in a career field or organization of interest, you also get to SEE what the office environment is really like: how people are dressed, do they seem pleasant, are they stressed out? Some meetings may be more formal than others, so prepare appropriately. Show up on time, dress professionally, and be aware of the time. Do not overstay your welcome; if you asked for 30 minutes, do not exceed that time (unless they offer to extend your stay through an invitation to lunch or a tour of the facility). If you meet with your contact over a meal, offer to pay for the meal; this is a nice way of thanking the person for their time.

Be sure to get a business card or complete contact information before your networking meeting has ended.

Step 6 - Follow Up After the Meeting

Always send a thank you letter expressing your appreciation for the time that person set aide for you. If the conversation was particularly useful and/or involved, this might be a person you want to talk to again in the future; a well-written thank-you note can help them remember you. It is appropriate to call the person again for advice, when your circumstances have changed or if you are seeking new information.

Step 7 - Take the Suggested Action Steps

You are not obligated to follow the advice you receive, but you should consider it carefully. If Mr. Smith tells you that the best person to talk to is Ms. Doe, then you should call her. Additionally, you should call within one or two weeks of your meeting with Mr. Smith. If you wait too long to follow up on a contact, you run the risk of someone forgetting who you are. In order for someone to vouch for you, they have to remember who you are.

During a networking meeting, an individual might suggest career options or companies that you never heard of or considered before. Be sure to investigate. If someone suggests a company you have heard of, but you cringe inwardly, "I'd never work for them!" you should do two things: (1) ask yourself if you know WHY you don't want to work for that organization, and (2) share some of your reservations (politely stated) with the person you are speaking with and ask them to address your concerns. You might learn some things you never realized, or your opinions might be confirmed. Either way, you leave the meeting with more complete information.

It is important to maintain regular and consistent follow up when networking. If the contact welcomes the initial meeting and it goes well, they will want to hear about your progress. Remember that networking is a give and take process, so be prepared and willing to offer any contacts you have and back this offer with action.

SECTION 4 - NETWORKING FEARS

"I do not want to impose." People are often very willing to help and most love to talk about themselves. If someone is too busy, she or he will tell you. People already connected to you in some way (such as Penn alumni or parents of friends) are often very eager to help.

"I do not know what to say on the phone." Develop a "script" for that initial contact. Introduce yourself, where you are going to school, how you got this person's name, and what your purpose is for calling. Be prepared to communicate your interests and strengths, so your contact gets a better sense of who you are and what you have to offer.

"I do not feel comfortable asking others for help." When there are so many people out there willing to assist you, what is the shame in taking advantage of the opportunity to speak with them? Working with others lets you exponentially expand the opportunities open to you.

"I have nothing to offer in return." If you know anyone, you potentially have something to offer in return.

"I have almost completed my college degree and I still don't know what I want to do. Won't that look bad?" Many people leave college without knowing exactly what they want to do. The key is to keep exploring your options and get as many interviews as you can, so you can evaluate the opportunities and determine which might be the best fit.

SECTION 5 - COMMON NETWORKING ERRORS

• Lack of preparation.
• Failure to follow up.
• Failure to send a thank you letter.
• Forgetting to obtain complete contact information.
• Asking inappropriate personal questions.
• Not being appropriately formal and/or polite.

SECTION 6 - EMPLOYER INFORMATION SESSIONS

Each year Penn hosts hundreds of employer information sessions. These events allow students to learn about the industry, the particular organization, and the specific employment opportunities available with it. Many of the sessions are "open presentations" which anyone can attend. Often they start with a structured presentation and are followed by an informal reception which allows interested students to speak informally with representatives of the employer. (Quite often these representatives are Penn alumni, so you already will have something in common with them!) You do not need to extensively prepare for employer presentations, but if an organization strongly interests you and you want to make a positive impression, it is in your best interest to do some preliminary research and be up-to-date on any really important news about the organization. Try to get business cards from those you speak with and follow-up with a thank you note (or email) within a day or two of the presentation. Be sure to be specific enough in the note that it does not sound like a form letter. Dress for open presentations is typically business casual.

In addition to open presentations, many employers also hold 'Night-Before-Interview" presentations for students who will be interviewing with them the next day. Students with scheduled interviews are expected to attend these sessions. If you can't make it because of a significant conflict, you should contact the employer before the event to express your regrets and letting them know the reason you won't be in attendance.

The employer presentations calendar can be found in PennLink.