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Networking as a job search tool (part 1): Make direct contact
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While online job boards can be useful, they should not be your only resource for finding openings. Instead, start thinking in terms of networking, a technique through which 70 percent of all jobs are found, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Because there are a myriad of ways in which students could build relationships with potential employers, I will devote a series to this topic, not necessarily in order of importance or effectiveness.
One option is to make direct contact. Research organizations at which you would like to work, and directly reach out to a C-level executive (i.e., CEO, president, etc.) indicating your interest and what would make you a good hire. This is best done via e-mail because you likely will not easily reach a leader of an organization over the phone (nor do they typically welcome such outreach). Be casual, but professional, suggesting you would like to start a dialogue about what you could bring to the table and offer times you are available for an informational interview.
For example, during my second year of college, I discovered our business school hired a new director of communications. I sent her an e-mail about my background, why she should hire an intern the following academic year and why I was the best choice. Not only did I get the job, but she did not even interview anyone else.
Liz Lynch, author of "SMART NETWORKING," agrees. "While some students and recent graduates try to bank on that 30 percent chance, they’ll have a faster road to success if they use a multi-prong strategy. Unless a company has a formal internship program, most of those opportunities tend to come through word-of-mouth. Regardless, networking can give you a leg up over other candidates for those precious few internship slots."
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