Networking Tips
Making the Best Connection
Photo: ©iStockphoto.com/Kenneth C. Zirkel.
Make your contacts with ICAN advisors as productive and efficient as possible. Below are some tips to get you started:
Prepare to make contact
- Create a journal to track the list of ICAN advisors you have contacted, information you received, impressions, promised follow up, and referrals.
- Review each ICAN advisor's profile carefully. Where do they live and work? How and when do they wish to be contacted? Determine if you may have common experiences, at MIT or in the work force. Were you in the same living group or members of the same MIT club?
- Be ready with a list of questions you wish to ask and, if contacting the advisor by phone, be prepared to take notes or have your calendar ready to schedule a time to talk.
- Effective networking takes practice-start with contacts with whom you are most comfortable.
- Assess conversations after each interaction. What information helped you? Which of your questions were most effective? What areas of the discussion interested you?
- Follow up by keeping people you've contacted abreast of your progress.
Make contact
- Introduce yourself as an MIT alumnus/a or student and explain that you found the advisor's name via ICAN.
- Make any personal connections about MIT by describing briefly your MIT experience. Have the advisor's profile on hand when talking with them or writing an email to them.
- State your career interests and goals and describe the assistance you are seeking and your overall objectives.
- Let the alumnus/a guide the length of the conversation, if your initial contact is on the phone.
Request and prepare for an informational interview
Meeting an ICAN career advisor in person can be an important aspect of your job search or career development plan. Before asking for an informational interview you should have a basic knowledge of the advisor's background and career history. Informational visits are easier to arrange than formal interviews and can lay the groundwork for your ultimate job-hunting success.
"ICAN is a great place to start for anyone building a career transition network."
-Gary Brown '85
If you are specifically seeking a job in his or her company, you should know the company's major products or services, financial status, and total number of employees. Acquaint yourself with its profitability, financial strength, and status in the industry.
Visits should be kept brief, about 20 minutes, and are not the same as job interviews. You should be prepared to ask questions to learn about the advisor's experience and their organization. This is an opportunity to decide which organizations you would like to explore for formal interviews.
- Be flexible about when and where the appointment may take place.
- Confirm appointments the day before by phone or email.
- Have a list of questions to discuss with the advisor.
Informational interview questions
- How did you break into the field?
- Where do you see a person like me fitting into this field (industry, company)?
- What professional associations should I join?
- What professional publications or web sites should I follow?
- What are some of the issues your organization or field faces?
- What are the most necessary skills for these types of jobs?
- What kind of compensation could I expect in the first year?
- How should I prepare for job interviews in this field?
- What is a typical career path for someone entering at my level?
- What are some of the challenges I would face in this job/field?
- Who should I contact next, if anyone? (Be sure to keep a list and ask the advisor if they could provide an introduction or if may use their name when making contact.)
- May I keep in touch with you and let you know my progress?
Follow up
Follow up by sending thank-you notes or email to everyone with whom you have spoken/emailed about your job search. This is essential.
Be sure to contact the appropriate advisors when your employment changes; staying connected to them may bring you further rewards in the future. And it is rewarding for advisors to know how they have helped you achieve your goals.
