Developing your professional network is a great way to find information about careers, spot opportunities and get yourself noticed. This section covers the power of networking with a particular focus on online networking such as LinkedIn.

 

Networking

Making connections with like-minded people can be a great way to find new opportunities, practice existing skills and develop new ones. That’s why networking is such an important employability skill.

 

Approaching strangers with requests can feel a bit scary, but it doesn’t need to be. Networking is essentially having a chat with someone with similar interests to you. Be inquisitive (ask questions) and be open-minded – you don’t have to ‘win’ the interaction by coming out of it with a solid job offer. Simply making a connection with someone working in your industry of choice is a useful and successful use of your time – and who knows where it’ll lead in the future!

Why networking is so ‘powerful’?

#1 Networking is a skill in itself

Networking is often described as a complex process of making, maintaining, and managing professional connections. Effective networkers are able to meet new people in a brief moment of time, and keep in touch with them for years. They can also be quite selective- they will invest their energy in the connections which are particularly relevant to their career aspirations.

#2 Building a network is a key to your career

You should start by thinking about who you are already connected to, like your family, your peers, and neighbours. They have more relevant connections than you think. This will allow you to find out useful information about how different careers and companies work, and for you to develop a comparative perspective on the job market.

#3 Networking will definitely challenge you

… but it is a very rewarding experience! How to overcome the fear of networking? Start doing it! Speak to people you already know, perhaps your favourite lecturer or a guest speaker from one of the events you have attended. Ask them about their career journey so far. Then think about the possibility of meeting a variety of graduate employers – could you set up an informational interview or attend an employer-led event? This would be an excellent opportunity to practice your communication and interpersonal skills. You will also gain some valuable insight into the world of graduate recruitment. And don’t forget the power of online networking – see the next section in the Toolkit on using LinkedIn

 

Any tips? Have a look at this short video to see how to network with impact!

Online Networking with LinkedIn

Networking in a physical sense is not the only way to do it – and in the increasingly technological and virtual world that we live in – online networking is now not only highly advantageous, but increasingly necessary!

Making use of social media such as LinkedIn is an extremely effective way of increasing your networking reach. Have you got a LinkedIn profile? Are you using it in the most effective way?

What is LinkedIn? 

LinkedIn is a bit like a professional Facebook. Create a profile (like an interactive CV) and connect with employers, companies and like-minded people.

 

Getting Started with your LinkedIn Profile 

• Use a professional looking photo to make an instant impact.
• Create an eye-catching headline with succinct statement about your career goals
• Seek recommendations from those with whom you have you’ve worked, studied or volunteered.

Once you’ve created an effective profile, ensure you keep it up-to-date with all your achievements and experiences. Now you’re ready to start connecting with people and companies of interest to you.

 

LinkedIn is more than just about building a great profile though!

Use LinkedIn to:  

• find the people and knowledge you need to achieve your career goals
• create, manage and develop your professional identity online
• find jobs - some employers will use LinkedIn as a direct recruitment portal
• stay informed about your contacts and your specific industry of interest
• be found by potential employers or recruiters. Being active on LinkedIn increases your Google rankings

You need to keep your profile up to date and be proactive on LinkedIn if you want it to benefit your career.

• think about commenting on other peoples posts
• sharing content/your own work
• join special interest groups
• connect with people of interest and leave them a specific message (don’t just ask to link in with the default introduction message)

The more active you are the more likely you will be noticed!

Official LinkedIn for Students has loads of great advice on using LinkedIn effectively.

Make Connections through LinkedIn 

So, where do you start?

• An easy way to start is connecting to existing contacts such as friends, family, classmates, academics, colleagues and employers from part-time jobs and internships, volunteering and extra-curricular activities.

• By looking on the University of Dundee LinkedIn page you will be able to connect with University of Dundee Alumni – what are people who have done your course doing and how useful could they be?

• Search for people who might be relevant to your career interests – use the keyword search eg ‘Clinical Psychology’ to show related profiles. Oh and there is no need to be intimidated by people in senior roles – most people will be only too glad to help if they can

Key tip:

Make sure you personalise any request to connect. To do this, simply add a personal note on introducing yourself and why you might want to connect. Generic invitations are often ignored. Think about:

• Tailoring your message in the ‘personal note’ box when you click to connect with someone.
• Look at their LinkedIn profile – do you have any similar interests, anyone in common?
• Be clear why you want to connect. Your reason should not be to request a job or work experience

Making the most of LinkedIn:

• Request introductions. These help you to expand your network. You can ask an existing connection to introduce you to someone who is a second or third level connection, but not yet known to you.

• Follow company’s pages. Company profiles often have details of the organisation’s products and services. They also often include where people have worked before. Use company search to find these.

• Send messages. If you’re a member of the same group as someone, you can send them a direct message.

• Show your interest. Comment on industry-specific articles and ask questions in LinkedIn groups. This shows you’re engaged and proactive. Avoid controversy unless you want to create a particular professional persona. Asking a well-considered question demonstrates you are business and industry aware.

• Be conscious of what you ask in groups. Do your research (at the least a Google search) before you ask a question and don’t ask anything that has an obvious answer.

• Research organisations, roles, staff and jobs. Find staff who work for the company you are researching

• Search by ‘relationship’ to see your first, second and third degree contacts. Ask any contacts for information that could help you in the application process

• Investigate career paths – look at individual profiles to identify the key skills, knowledge and experience current employees at a particular company have. You can also search by degree subject, particular skills you want to use in a job and get inspiration from what alumni are doing by using the LinkedIn Find Alumni tool

Finally, once you’ve been successful and gained lots of job leads through LinkedIn, don’t forget to to check out your interviewer’s LinkedIn profile. This will help you find out more about them and see if there is anything you have in common

For more tips on building your profile see LinkedIn Profile Checklist and Build Great Student Profile

 

Social Media for Job Hunting  

Use LinkedIn to find out about vacancies. Connect with companies, recruitment agencies, professionals, professional bodies and careers advisers.

Companies use Twitter, LinkedIN and Facebook to post information on vacancies and even head hunt candidates. Not all opportunities are widely advertised; keep up-to-date with your industry on social media and look out for news about company expansions, new contracts or funding being won.

This may lead to them requiring more staff and you could send a speculative application or enquiry before they advertise.

Your LinkedIn Profile – build and get feedback!

Whether you already have a LinkedIn profile or are looking to create one for the first time – we invite you to use the learning from the Toolkit content to build an effective profile and send it to us for some feedback.

If creating a profile for the first time go to LinkedIn

Once you have updated your profile or created a new one – you can send your URL to us via the Careers Services’ CareersPortal at https://dundee.targetconnect.net Pop your URL in through the ‘Ask a Question’ function and we will get back to you with feedback!