Career Blog: Where to Find People to Network with as you Job Search

Once you’re ready to get out there, network and set up informational interviews, where do you start?  Where are all those great contacts you’re excited to meet and develop relationships with?  Here's a list of powerful networking sources to get you started.  Of course, these are only the tip of the iceberg.  I’d love to hear where else people have discovered good networking contacts in Boston and beyond.  As a starting point, try:

1. Existing Network. You already know a ton of people and you may even know someone in the right company or industry but just don’t realize it.  So reach out to your family, friends, former co-workers and keep them informed of what you’re doing and what kind of job you’re seeking.  The more you share your story, the more likely it is a good contact will come out of the woodwork.  If you’re visiting family, for instance, take the opportunity to let them help you!  Don’t be embarrassed; everyone job searches at some point in their lives.

2. Alumni Network. Many universities and private high schools have extensive alumni networks.  Besides hosting networking events, many schools offer an online alumni directory which allows you to search by company or industry and location.  Call your school and ask!

3. Networking Events. Of course, there are always events designed specifically to let you meet new people.  There are a couple of ways to find good events.  First, check to see if there are professional industry organizations (like the American Marketing Association for marketing) which run local networking events.  Besides that, meetup.com is a phenomenal resource of groups based on industry, location, hobby and many other things.  And who’s to say you can’t network at a yoga workshop rather than a “networking event?”  Of course, if you’re looking for a great place to meet new people, start here with the BYPA!

4. Linkedin and other Social Media. Linkedin is a great tool as it lets you see not only the contacts you already know, but your contact’s contacts (2nd degree contacts) and your contact’s contact’s contacts (3rd degree contacts)!  Phew!  What you can do is use this large network and ask for introductions through the people you already know.  You can also join linkedin groups to connect with like-minded people.  Besides linkedin, other sites like twitter and facebook can help you meet people in the companies you’re interested in, as well as recruiters and hiring mangers.  Keep in mind, however, that networking is about forming relationships.  Reaching out to a CEO on twitter and asking for a job is unlikely to be all that successful!  And if you need help sorting it all out, contact your friendly neighborhood Boston career counselor!

5. Daily Life. Think about all the people you interact with on a daily basis: neighbors, the lovely people who hand you your coffee (love them!), dentists, teachers, people waiting on line with you, commuters on the train.  These are all people you might strike up a conversation with and you never know where that might lead!