Davis Dow: How to Utilize Networking to Land an Interview
I started sending messages to different accounting professionals on LinkedIn, many of which were alumni of my school or worked at a company where I wanted to intern. While many of these people didn’t get back to me, many did and were willing to give me advice about my career and the recruiting process. At the same time, I was able to network with two different professionals at EY who I already knew. These two people knew me and my goals, and they were able to give me advice and keep me in mind when it came to recruiting for their company. It is because of these relationships with different people in my field of study that I was able to land my internship at EY.
My biggest takeaway from this is that networking is less about asking the person for a job and more about seeking information from people who have taken the path that you are interested in going down. If students are genuine in their questions and seek information, then the majority of professionals are more than happy to talk to them.
If you are looking to start networking, then the best place to start is with people who have at least some type of connection to you. This could be alumni from your school, members of your school's organizations, or people in your hometown. If you are looking to reach out to a professional and start the conversation, then the best way is to be brief and polite. It would be best to start the message by saying hello and explaining your purpose for contacting them. It would also be good to ask whether they would be open to having a quick conversation.
Finally, always follow up. Sending a short thank you message after the conversation helps maintain the relationship and leaves a positive impression. Networking takes effort, but even a few conversations can lead to insights, mentorship, and sometimes opportunities you would not have found otherwise.