Comments on: Anatomy of a networking email

By: 2010 in review « Courting Your Career

2010 in review « Courting Your Career — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 15:05:00 +0000

[...] The busiest day of the year was January 5th with 224 views. The most popular post that day was Anatomy of a networking email. [...]

By: courtingyourcareer

courtingyourcareer — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:42:53 +0000

@Richard-Thanks for the comment and good luck with your search. Although I know it’s an overused term, networking is becoming more and more important for undergraduates.

If you haven’t already done so, also be sure to create a LinkedIn profile. I recently heard a stat that there are more than 37,000 university-related LinkedIn groups.

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 23:42:18 +0000

That is great advice! I’ll be graduating from college with a degree in Business Administration this spring, and could definitely use these pointers. Thanks alot.

By: courtingyourcareer

courtingyourcareer — Sun, 03 May 2009 22:34:54 +0000

@Jonathan-Great advice. When potential networking contacts from companies of interest show up (literally on your door step) during on-campus recruiting events, that’s one of the best ways to form connections. The same holds true for attending events held by professional associations for those who are out of college.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Sun, 03 May 2009 20:23:16 +0000

I think that this is some very good advice. Another thing to keep in mind that can make these anonymous and thus more difficult e-mails unnecessary is to take advantage of networking events. Try to attend campus career fairs and meet alumni and make sure to send a follow-up e-mail. If you make these connections then you won’t need to send these “anonymous” networking e-mails. Some good pieces of advice I’ve seen on the subject are:

How to Make a Lasting Impression on the Recruiter at a Career Fair
http://www.gottamentor.com/viewAdvice.aspx?a=256

Follow Up: An Important Networking Tool
http://www.gottamentor.com/viewAdvice.aspx?a=204

By: courtingyourcareer

courtingyourcareer — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:07:12 +0000

@Andrea-Thanks for the comment and for sharing those links. I think it’s also important to remember that networking doesn’t always occur in a straight line. You might have to reach out to an alumni connection working at the company but in a different department or role than what you’re looking for and then look for a referral.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 03:09:34 +0000

The networking email is completely under-utilized as is the introduction email, where you get someone with greater influence/access to do an email intro to a person you’re trying to reach. They are extremely powerful tools, particularly in a tough job market. In either type of email, the paragraph about you “I’m a senior at Pitt…” is critical to getting the email recipient to believe it’s worthwhile to spend some of their time helping you. I just wrote 2 advice pieces on what should be in these emails and who you should target for introduction emails.

The Email Introductions Most Likely to Open Doors
http://tinyurl.com/delrgg

Email Introductions that Generate Job Leads
http://tinyurl.com/cex7td

By: courtingyourcareer

courtingyourcareer — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 12:37:34 +0000

@Rachel-It sounds similar to indeed.com. But, for undergraduates and MBAs, there’s still no substitute for making contact with alumni at organizations of interest before applying to jobs. If nothing else, it gives you a reference point when writing a cover letter, sending an email, or something you can use during the interview when you’re asked why you want to work for them.

By: rachel

rachel — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 04:27:20 +0000

I agree with you – I think it’s really tough nowadays to get that kind of networking without seeming too cheesy. While It’s weird to say that sites like Facebook are becoming great job networking sites, I’ve always found that online job search engines are great places to find jobs and connections. I recently stumbled across a fabulous job search engine called Hound.com. The thing that caught me was it’s not something where I’ll be searching personals or a third party thing – it’s direct from employer’s pages! Not to mention it’s one of the top 20 job search engines in PC magazine!! I guess it’s good to know you’re in good hands is all I’m saying, just like when readers read your blog, they know they’re getting the best advice out there!