Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Mom Knows Best

My mother has been saying the same things to me about the job market for years. Those suggestions often buzz around like little white noise-making bees, sorry Mom. I thought that I'd heard them enough and I was sick of constantly getting advice about the SAME thing. Rude, I know. The advice? NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK.  A lot of this world is about who you know and who they know.

From where did my change of attitude come?  I have been fortunate enough to get an internship through other means, through complete strangers. But I am not so naive to forget that the references that I provided for them, that the JMU CAP internship fair where I first met my employer, and that the people that I will meet in this spring semester internship will probably be helpful for my future are forms of networking. 

After apologizing like the know-it-all teenager that I acted like, she had another suggestion. This time I was poised and ready with my pen. This suggestion I pass on to you: make a list of every possible networking tool you have in your belt, in your parents' belts or in your friends' belts. Time consuming it may be, but if you had a lethal list of names, occupations and contact details for anyone that you may need for your future....the consequences could be Star Quality. People want to help you, especially if it is in their field. 

If your dad has a friend from high school who runs his own business, shooting him or her an email asking for advice would most likely be flattering. Then you could sneak in a little about yourself and your qualifications. This friend kick starts a whole new networking channel because they may know someone or some company ideal for your skills.

Another awful cliche that I have found to be right, AGAIN, (frustrating as you-know-what): your odds go up as soon as you actually submit the application. There's no risk in contacting someone through this shiny, grown-up networking list of yours. Just give it a try. Eventually you can be the receiver of these inquiries and I guarantee you'll feel the same joy in helping an up-and-comer get to where they want to be.

Former JMU President, Ron Carrier, has a philosophy suspiciously identical to this (my mom is a JMU grad and he was president during her time here). He says that one of the only differences between Harvard and JMU is the networking potential. Once you enroll, it's safe to say that most schools are equally difficult. Certain students within a few hours of here may SWEAR this is false, but we know the truth.

BUZZZZBUZZ NETWORK BUZZBUZZZZ

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