Association networking is a very popular way to establish truly valuable
network contacts among professionals, yet very few entry level candidates
make use of this available resource. If there is an association for your chosen
profession, find out if you can join as a student member in the local Section (not
the student chapter) in the city you are most interested in living in after
graduation. The membership dues are often reduced for student members and
most associations strongly encourage student participation. Note: don't just
join the student chapter on campus. Make
sure you are a member of the local
association chapter.
After you have joined, you will usually
be given a membership directory. If not, call
and ask for one. This membership directory
can be worth its weight in gold to you since
it is the "who's who" of your field for that
local area. As a start, call the Membership
Director (or Coordinator or Chairperson) and
ask for recommendations of people within
the association who you can speak to about
seeking entry level jobs in the local area.
You will usually be given the name of a well-connected member who is willing to refer
you to others or may even be willing to help personally. You now have an
outstanding contact that can serve as a starting point for further contacts.
When you speak with this contact person, make it clear that you are a
student member of the association and are seeking help in locating entry level
employment. Most association members feel a professional obligation toward
helping others get started in the field. You often will be given the names of
companies and other individuals to contact. Or the person may offer to contact
them on your behalf. Either way, you now have a "warm call" instead of a
"cold call" into prime hiring companies in your target geographical area.
If you are nearby or plan a trip to the area, make it a point to attend one of
the association's meetings. Most meet on a monthly or bimonthly basis. These
meetings are a networking contact dream! Walking, talking, living, breathing
network contacts. All in your field. All in one room. And all willing to help you in
your job search. Remember to have plenty of networking business cards in
your pocket--you will need them. But only use them at or near the end of a
conversation. If you just walk around handing them out, you will likely get the
quick boot--figuratively, or possibly even literally. When you do give out your
card, don't be shy about asking for one of theirs.
When you are at this type of gathering, carry a small notepad so you can
record the information from your many conversations. While it is acceptable
to record specific information being supplied during a conversation (such as
when a contact gives you a phone number to call), remember to follow this
simple etiquette rule: if you want to write notes about the person you are talking
with, do it later; if you want to write notes about another person (such as the
name, title, and company of a recommended contact), you may do so during the
conversation. It is still important to take notes on each person you speak with
for later reference. Just make mental notes, and then retreat to a corner or pop
out to the restroom to "download" when you reach your point of information
overload. An excellent place to record information is directly on the person's
business card, if you are offered one--if not, remember to ask for one. If you
forgot to get that all-important business card, be sure to take good notes in
your notepad, including the person's title and company name. Trust nothing to
memory.
If you are prone to forgetting a person's name, get in the habit of asking
people to repeat their names to you and ask for a spelling if it is an uncommon
or unusual name. Asking the person to repeat their name is a very common
name memory technique which also serves as a compliment to the person, since
you are telling them that you consider their name important enough to
remember. It is an excellent way to make a positive first impression.
Follow up on all contacts made at such meetings with a phone call or letter.
Again, it will broaden your network exponentially since nearly all the people
you meet are connected to others who are able to help.
Don't forget your association membership directory. It can provide you
with a series of warm calls in tracking down potential employers. Be sure to
mention you are a student member of the association--it's an instant icebreaker!
