What my year abroad in Washington D.C. taught me about networking
Networking. We’ve all heard of it and we all know we should be doing it.
I have lost count of the number of times I have asked for career advice and the answer has been, “You need to network. If you’re not doing it already, start.”
It’s an intimidating prospect and, for many, it’s easier said than done. Where does one even start? How do you go about it? What are the benefits?
What is it all about?
It was not until I did my study year abroad in Washington D.C. that I really began to understand what networking is all about. Washington D.C. is a networking hub, with countless opportunities to meet professionals from various sectors and interact with people from all walks of life. During my time in D.C. I was fortunate enough to attend networking events featuring the likes of The Washington Post and The Economist, go for a coffee with a top National Geographic producer to discuss his journey to success, and make valuable connections with people in journalism through my internship with the BBC.
Networking allows you to build professional relationships and exchange information and ideas. Your approach to the relationship should be one of mutual benefit- you offer value to the person, in some way, on the basis that someone else will do the same for you, .at some point
Being in a large city gives you a networking advantage. Cities tend to be networking hubs, with events organised solely for this purpose and a constant turnover of talented and inspiring people. Urban areas also make it easier to meet in person with a connection, allowing you to establish a more genuine relationship rather than being limited to e-mail or LinkedIn messages. Nevertheless, living outside a city isn’t a networking deal breaker. Thanks to the internet, there are other ways to get people’s attention and broaden your network.
Where to start?
I’ve found that expanding your network can be a lot easier than you might initially think. LinkedIn is a great starting point, as you can begin connecting with people close to you, and build a web of new connections from there. Here are some of the things I have learned from my networking experiences so far, and some advice I have been given along the way:
1) Start with your own network
Your current network is probably larger than you perceive it to be. Think about all the people you know or have contacted over the years. This includes your parents, your friends, professors and former employees. Do they know anyone who would be a good addition to your network? Could they put you in touch with anyone for an informational interview, or offer advice and guidance themselves? Although they might not always be able to help you directly, it is likely that someone in their network can and so through this secondary network, you can start seeking opportunities and insight.
For example, when I was in England, I applied for work experience with the BBC through an online application, and was successful, managing to do a two-week placement during the Christmas holidays. When I found out I was going to Washington D.C. for my third year of university, I asked the person who had been my supervisor during the placement whether they had any journalist contacts in the city. Fortunately, she did, and she put me in touch with BBC’s Washington Bureau. I asked for an informational interview with the producer there, and, after some voluntary work at the bureau, I was presented with the opportunity to intern there for the spring semester. My former supervisor facilitated the expansion of my own network by sharing connections from her own, allowing me to gain invaluable experience in my favoured profession.
2) Use your initiative
Email people, send them letters, send them a tweet. There are so many ways to get in touch with a person. Think of ways to get their attention and stand out from the others. If everyone is sending them emails, yours is likely to just get lost among many. Find their number and call them. Show up at their office and leave your CV. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
3) Be prepared
There is no point reaching out to someone if you haven’t done your research. If you contact someone, assume that they might get back to you immediately and offer to meet up the next day. Are you ready? Remember that they are giving up time to speak with you, and if you don’t have any questions prepared, or don’t really understand what they do and their background, then you will come across in an unfavourable light. You might only get one shot at this, so hold off from reaching out until you are ready.
4) Seek information
Even if someone in your network can’t offer you experience or a job, that doesn’t mean that they are not a valuable connection. Everyone has their own story, and has learned lessons along the way that could be of use to you now or in the future. Ask for an informational interview, go for a coffee, chat on the phone. They could offer invaluable insight and knowledge that could be of use in years to come. Many people with established careers are happy to offer a helping hand to those starting out.
5) Try to meet in person
Meeting in person or speaking over the phone is much more effective than talking over email. When you meet a person, you are more likely to get a sense of what they are all about,, and a more in-depth discussion might spark ideas and lead to further conversations and encounters.
6) Don’t be afraid to ask
Be open and honest with the person you have connected with. If you are looking for a job,- say so. If you would like to tap into their network, let them know. Life is too short to leave them guessing, and they are probably too busy to beat around the bush. Everyone has had to go through the same thing in their professional career, and it is likely that they will be more than happy to help, but they need to know what you need. Also, think of what you can offer to them. People will be much more willing to connect with you if they feel it will be a balanced relationship.
7) Stay in touch
This one is key. There is no point going for a coffee with someone, having a nice chat and then never hearing from them again. People lead busy lives, and it is up to you to stay in correspondence with the person and keep them in your network. This can be as simple as sending them an email every now and again, checking in and updating them on your progress. Don’t overdo it and be annoying by bombarding them weekly. Just send them something every so often to remind them of who you are and what you are up to. They might not have been able to help you at the time of your chat, but something might come up in the future. And if you are on their radar, you might just be in luck.
I stayed in touch via Facebook with a girl I had worked with on my student paper after she had graduated. She messaged me one day asking if I would be interested in an internship with a newspaper in London, as she had just interned there and they were looking for other people with writing experience. She referred me to the editor, and after I sent through my CV, I was lucky enough to get the position. If a position of similar nature came up that needed filling that I was aware of, I would undoubtedly reach out to her as she is now on my radar as being interested in that profession, just as I was on hers.
8) The relationship shouldn’t be one-sided
Networking is at its best when everyone benefits. Just as people are part of your network, you are part of other people’s networks. You can’t expect help from others if you don’t give anything back. A network is like a web of contacts and relationships; it should be an activity of mutual benefit. Just as people might help you, it is likely you have the means to help someone else. Think about what you can bring to the table. What are your skills and experiences? Do you know of anyone in your circle that you could refer them to?
A couple of months after I had got in touch with the BBC producer to ask about contacts in Washington, D.C., she reached out to me. She was producing a programme about the 2016 election and wanted to hear the perspectives of international students living in the U.S. Being a student living in the U.S. at that time, I could use my network to help her find these contacts. It was nice to know that I could be of use to her, because she had gone out of her way to help me and I felt (and still feel) very indebted to her.
Why not start today?
Although I’m still very new to networking, I’ve found it to be a positive experience so far. Yes, I’ve reached out to plenty of people and they’ve never got back to me, but I’ve also reached out to plenty of people who have and genuine relationships have developed as a result. So why not start today? At worst, the person will say no or not reply at all. Alternatively, they might say yes and something might come of it. You don’t know unless you try.
(Originally published on LinkedIn for #StudentVoices)
