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Networking: Rugged Individualism

While the rugged individual may be the icon for life in America, there is one area where being too independent can work against you. I’m referring to the whole job search experience. Case in point: A few semesters ago, a promising undergraduate requested help with his resume and job search. I asked what type job he was looking for, and he replied that his dream was to work on Wall Street. I asked him if he had any contacts on Wall Street, and he replied that his cousin worked for the same firm that had caught his interest. When I asked him if he’d called his cousin for advice and leads, he replied, “Oh no, I really want to get this job on my own.” You probably already guessed my advice to the student: “Call your cousin!”

All things being equal, the person who gets the internship or job is usually the one who has positioned the “sale” by networking. All of our BBA students at Goizueta have heard repeatedly how important networking is, but less than half actually “get it.” By that I mean that many students say they are networking when they have made two or three phone calls, but few have worked the networking system fully and effectively.

A student in one of my BUS 365: Business Communication sections lamented the fact that he hadn’t been able to find an internship. I invited him to explain his interests to the class to see if anyone had any connections that could help him out. He was both hesitant and skeptical because they were undergrads just like him. During class, none of the students had any ideas for him; however, that night he received an e-mail from someone in the college who roomed with a student from the 365 class. It seems that this young man had an uncle with the Braves organization. Through that introduction, my student was able to land a dream internship in sports marketing.

As random as it may seem, even the bus stop can be a place for networking. After a class where I stressed talking to total strangers about the job quest, I had a student call me at home. She was amazed that the very first person she spoke to at the bus stop had a job lead for her. She ended by saying, “I’ve finally figured out how this networking thing really works.”

So, here’s my advice. Call your relatives. Talk to your classmates. Chat up random people you meet. Soon your phone will ring and your e-mail will ding. You will have mastered the fine art of networking and can start giving advice to all those snotty-nosed freshmen who are looking for a job. 

Written by Deborah Valentine for Goizueta Perspective, a publication for undergraduate BBA students at Emory University, 2001.