Laurel Holman, director of alumni and MSx career services at the Stanford Graduate School of Management’s Center for Career Management, shares three networking tips you can use no matter where you are in your career path.
1. Prepare for meaningful conversations
Most people appreciate being asked for their advice and expertise, Holman says. And when it comes to connecting with someone, “the key is to go into the meeting well-prepared. If you’re well-prepared, you’ll be able to connect with two experts with interesting perspectives and sets of experience. It’s this two-way exchange of value that can actually make it less awkward and more valuable for both parties.”
2. Targeted LinkedIn Search
If you’re a GSB graduate, the school’s network is a great place to start. However, many graduates do not know how to identify other graduates who work (or have worked) at a particular company. How to find it: Go to GSB’s LinkedIn page and click on the tab labeled “Alumni Association.” This will open a search bar where you can enter your company name. “Let’s say you want to apply for a job at Netflix,” Holman says. “Type ‘Netflix’ and you’ll see a list of people who have both Netflix and GSB on their LinkedIn profile.”
Once you’ve identified the person you want to contact, use Stanford’s alumni directory to find their email address. “Using a LinkedIn or two to get emails from directories is a great way to reach out to alumni who might be able to help,” says Holman.
3. Continuous (and careful) follow-up
It’s not uncommon to send an email and then send…crickets. “It’s rarely personal,” Holman said. “People are just busy.” Wait 4-5 days before sending a follow-up message. If the issue persists, wait a few days and try again. “If I don’t hear back from them after about two weeks or so, I follow up with them one last time and move on to the next person.”
