Career chats: How professionals grew their network early in their careers
About this video
Three professionals share how networking early on shaped their careers. A waitress at a party met the people who gave her a first job at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, a Target worker followed up on a pharmacist's contact and reached the state Capitol, and a student used informational interviews to find new roles and opportunities.
You'll be able to
- explain what a professional network is and why it matters.
- describe how following up and informational interviews create opportunities.
- identify ways a student can start building a network now.
Key words
- network
- The people you know who can share advice, information or opportunities.
- event coordinator
- A person who plans and organises events.
- follow up
- To contact someone again after a first conversation or suggestion.
- informational interview
- A short conversation with someone in a job or field to learn about it, not to ask for a job.
Transcript
(upbeat music) - I actually met a girl there who was interning at the Santa Barbara National Film Festival. We were in UC Santa Barbara at the time. And so what happened was, I thought that was fascinating and super cool and kind of related to what we were just doing.
Anyway, she needed, her friends that worked there needed a waitress for a party. So I was like, "Oh, I'm a waitress. I'll do it." So I was a waitress at this party. I met essentially the people that I would later, it would be my first job out of college with as an event coordinator with the Santa Barbara Film Festival.
And I also met my future husband that, at one of those parties. So to say it absolutely changed my life is a complete understatement, totally changed my life.
- And a pharmacist at the store called me over to her department after I had obtained some success and recognition. And she said, "You know, Ryan, I think you're better for, you're better than this job here at Target. You should call my friend at the state Capitol."
And she wrote a name and a phone number on a piece of paper and ripped it off and handed me this shard of paper. And I followed up. I followed up with her friend at the state Capitol, and that person happened to be the Deputy Chief Senate Sergeant at Arms.
- And a thing I've also learned is that when you're in school, most people want to talk to you. They want to get back in some way. They don't know how. And so when it comes to supporting a student, they're always great because usually you're not looking for a job.
And so they're super willing to give advice or give a little bit of their time, like 10, 15 minutes. And most people go longer 'cause they like to talk about themselves, and they'll be able to give you some little nuggets to help guide you. And so throughout those informational interviews, I kept being put in places where I could find the next role or an opportunity to go do something.
And that has carried on throughout my professional career. So I'd say the earlier you start building your branding, building those relationships and getting to know people and getting to understand things, the more important that will be. (upbeat music)
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