“Build your network.”
“Make connections.”
“Use LinkedIn.”
Does this sound like the networking advice you offer your grad?
Parents understand that these tasks are essential to the job search for entry-level positions. However, this advice often falls on deaf ears.
Parents also struggle with how to provide the right resources and connections to help their adult children land the job. Many parents have seen how much the job search process has changed. And how new industries and job roles have evolved.
Like their job-seeking kids, parents feel the pressure. Could one of their friends help out their son or daughter? Maybe there is a work colleague to assist?
And the graduates today are overwhelmed. Grads question if their parents’ job advice is current. Or if their parents’ connections will be helpful because they are pursuing a completely different field. Grads feel the pressure to find a network, build a network, or “network” with their network.
Yet, they don’t know how.
With continued worries about where and how to find a job, one thing has not changed…
PEOPLE HIRE PEOPLE— not a tracking system, computer, or one-way video interview recording.
And the people that hire candidates often try to find someone they know, directly or through a trusted contact in their network.
So how can a parent advise their college student or grad to build a network? Here are 3 tips:
1. Start with who you know.
Students and grads have an incredible network around them from fellow students, professors, parents, and alumni. Encourage your young adult to make a list of these contacts. Reaching out to these contacts can help to form relationships and find opportunities – much more easily than applying online.
2. Get on LinkedIn.
This business social networking site is not just for professionals. LinkedIn enables young job seekers to easily find fellow alumni or contacts at targeted companies of interest. Encourage your grad to find fellow alumni by clicking on the university icon on their profile. You can search for fellow alumni by year graduated, major, industry, company, or skill. This video explains how to do it. If you have a limited alumni network, you can target any contacts on LinkedIn using this search technique.
3. Think about 10 and 10.
Encourage your student or grad to contact 10 alumni at 10 different companies in the job or field that your student desires. Your young adult should ask how they got started, what lessons were learned, and inquire about the challenges they face on the job. Grads should express their core skills and why they want to enter that field. Your grad should ask if they can connect to colleagues or a hiring manager to learn about opportunities. And ensure they ALWAYS send a thank-you note.
Building a network and making connections is only one part of the process. For these connections to be of value to the job search, a grad must be prepared to leverage these relationships by demonstrating their value and explaining why they are a great candidate for the job.
If you know a student or grad who needs help building a network or starting a job search, we are now accepting registrations for the next Fast-Start Group Coaching Program. This program helps students and grads focus on a career and learn the secrets of how to land a job. Schedule a consultation or call 973-577-6161 to learn more.
