Networking:
If you think college is about meeting new friends, going to classes, studying for exams and finding time to play, well, you are right. Those are important aspects of college life. They are not the only aspects, however.
One of the most important actions you can take in college is called networking. You have likely heard of networking by now and know that it involves meeting the right people who can help you currently or in the future with your career goals.
In fact, a recent report claims 85% of all jobs are found through networking so after listening to the prerecorded lesson on 9 ways to Network let’s take a deeper dive into the how and what networking looks like as a college student.
- Name three ways you can network now as a student to ensure the greatest exposure in finding a positon after graduation.
Company Research
When you’re excited about something, you take the time to learn more about it. Consider the last vacation you took. Because you were excited, you went online to learn all you could about your destination. Doing some research about the company will show that same level of excitement for the work you’ll do and for the company itself.
Your research can help your excitement grow, as well. As you learn more about the company, its values and its goals, you’ll see how your skill set could fit. Your excitement for the opportunity and the company will show in an interview. In this way, your research helps you appear more confident and ready for the work, while also showing your excitement to your employer.
When employers are interviewing multiple candidates, they want to see excitement and enthusiasm for the work. In the reserved format of a job interview, you may not be able to convey this as readily as you would like, so your preparation must convey it for you.
- Before applying for a position with a company you must do research on the company as well as the position title you are seeking.
- Name three ways you can research a prospective company before you interview.
- Name three reasons why you should do research on a company before you interview.
- Give three specific examples (one each) of questions you can ask faculty members, campus recruiters, and school alumni to gain information you could use to identify potential future employees?
