Networking your way to success
Tuesday, 20 September 2022
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Get your career started by focusing on networking skills.
The old saying "It's not what you know, it's who you know." might have some truth when it comes to getting that job. A more proactive way to look at it is "It's not who you know, but who knows you."
Many job opportunities do not actually get advertised they are filled by 'word of mouth' through someone knowing someone who turned out to be perfect for the job. This is networking in action. It is about connecting with people who can support and assist you in your job search.
Why networking is important
Networking is a fantastic way to make connections with people working in your field or with similar interest. One important aspect of networking is to find and relate to individuals with similar interest to your own. Through networking you might even find out about job opportunities through your contacts.
Building your Network
You are always networking, whether you know it or not. You probably have contacts through your family, friends, and uni mates. Even staff, lecturers and alumni are important contacts.
Network events are incredibly valuable. They give you the can to meet a lot of like-minded people at one time. It you are new to the networking game; these events are a great place to hone your personal brand and really show what you stand for.
Eventbrite is a good place to find events of interest including your professional association. Check them out to see what you can find and get started to develop your network.
LinkedIn is helpful because you can find people with similar interests or work experience as you. Moreover, you can also see the profiles of professionals whose career you admire or want to follow. This can give you some insight into the people you should be meeting or steps you should be taking in your own life and career.
If you feel nervous about jumping into all networking opportunities check out LinkedIn Learning (via your student portal), YouTube videos, blogs, or podcasts about communication and networking.
Talk to the Careers and Employability team
Students and recent graduates of ECU can also take advantage of the University's Careers Team who run regular workshops and drop-in session to help people with their job seeking skills. You can also make an appointment to consult one of the team about your job seeking strategies.
Log in to Careerhub to see advertised jobs, graduate programs, workshops and other helpful information.