UCF Business Careers Blog: Networking Your Way to Employment

Most college students do not realize ?finding? an appropriate career before graduation is a job. Some students believe they will magically get hired simply by completing their degree requirements and walking across the stage to receive their diploma. Let me repeat?finding an appropriate career is a job and you will need to put time, effort and energy into this process.

Students who work with Career Services multiple semesters prior to graduation are more likely to receive on-campus interviews and job offers. Students who wait until the week of graduation to come into Career Services for the ?first? time have put themselves at a disadvantage finding employment.

The key to this process is to start early?this means you should be proactive instead of reactive in your job search. Identify networking opportunities (Information Session, EXPOs, Practice Interviews, etc.) to attend so you can meet with employers recruiting UCF students/alumni. Create a Top 10 List of employers you are interested in and then research the companies to understand what they do. This provides you a chance to determine if the culture of the organization fits you.

Look for ways to network with HR/Hiring managers from companies on your Top 10 list. LinkedIn is a valuable tool that can help you network your way to employment. You can search LinkedIn for ?people? and/or ?companies?. Try to locate someone who will be able to help you network within the organization (example: UCF Alum). Make sure you provide a little information about yourself; who you are, what?s your degree, when do you graduate, what would you like from them (job shadow, interview, information).

Don?t forget to network with faculty members as most have industry experience and contacts that may prove beneficial to your job search.

You can network your way to employment by taking charge of the job search process. Stop by Career Services to discover additional ways to stand out to employers.

4-year Career Action Plan: http://www.career.ucf.edu/Families/4_Year_Career_Action_Plan_17_83.aspx

Calvin Williams
UCF Career Services

Source: http://ucfbusinesscareers.blogspot.com/2012/08/networking-your-way-to-employment.html

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