This document discusses networking strategies for finding employment. It begins with terminology used in networking like social capital and weak and strong ties. It then questions whether networking is truly effective given challenges in measuring its impact. A case study examines a student using networking to transition into a game design career. Strategies suggested include using ties through shared interests or affiliations, attending conferences, and joining professional associations and student groups. Online networking tools like LinkedIn and Meetup are described as alternatives when local connections don't exist. Privacy issues with social media use are also addressed.

1. Networking 101
ArtsWORKS Conference

2. Outline
• Terminology
• Does networking work?
• Case study
• Strategies
• Online networking

3. Terminology
• Social capital
• Human capital
• Ties: strong and weak
• Pull and push

4. Does networking work?
• No one knows for sure
o
o
o
o
o
How is it measured?
Who makes up the sample?
Other economic factors at work
Relies on memory
“Contact shame”
• Underestimating intelligence gathering
function of networking

5. CAPS Graduate Employment Survey
Used strategy to look for work, may not have lead to job offer or interview
1.Job posting on employer’s website, 74%
2.Other job posting site, 54%
3.Talking to people I know well, let them know I was looking for work, 58%
4.Talking to acquaintances, let them know I was looking for work, 51%
5.Tie
a. Contacting organizations I had worked with or volunteered for in the
past, 31%
b. Cold contacts, 31%
c. Used CAPS job postings, 31%

6. CAPS Graduate Employment Survey
Used strategy to look for work, led to job offer or interview
1.Job posting on employer’s website, 57%
2.Talking to people I know well, let them know I was looking for work, 47%
3.Talking to acquaintances, let them know I was looking for work, 32%
4.Other job posting website, 30%
5.Contacting organizations I had worked with or volunteered for in the past,
23%
Online networking: 9%

7. Case Study
• Third year anthropology student
• Game designer
How are you similar to this person?
o No specific education matches your desired job
o First generation?
o I’m changing my interests into employment, but not sure how that’s
done
o Limited social and human capital

8. Strong and weak ties
• No one in family has this career
o
Connection through tie
Information interview
o
Hobbyists
o
• Member of a gaming group

9. Education
• Association of Universities and Colleges of
•
•
•
Canada (AUCC), Find a Study Program
National Centre for Education Statistics (US)
College Navigator
Education UK, British Council
Talk to your advisor

10. Professional Associations
• International Game Developers Association
• GameCamp Edmonton
• Game Artisans
• Directories
•
o Companies
o Independents
Student Groups

11. Volunteer
• Volunteer Edmonton
o
Annual Fair
o
Social clubs
Language learning
Accessible recreation
Child development
Youth recreation
• InformAlberta
o
o
o
o

12. Conferences
• Conferences
•
•
•
o GenCon
o Game Developers Conference
Trade show
Career Education
Apply for Green and Gold Grant

13. Events
•
•
•
•
Information sessions
Fairs, mixers
Community Events
o Diyalogue
o Pecha Kucha
o Nerd Night
o StartupU
o Startup Edmonton Open Houses and Professional Groups
Edmonton’s Next Gen

14. Outcome

15. What’s my bio?
• Are you a student or a professional?
o
Program eligibility
• How much experience do you have?
• Do you have a professional membership?
• Do you have any shared affiliations?
• Do you know something about the
organization or industry?

16. Dealing with discomfort
• Stay open
o
Do you really know what you like?
• Be kind
• Are we breaking up?
• Wingman

17. Online Networking
• Not the most effective...
o
o
18% said they used it
9% said it led to an interview or job offer
• You don’t know anyone locally
• You want to relocate
• Tools are improving

18. LinkedIn
•
•
•
•
•
•
Business networking
Groups
Follow companies
Job postings
Information sharing
Resume distribution
•
•
•
CAPS Using LinkedIn
Tips Sheet
LinkedIn offers great
training
Do not need
subscription

19. Meetup
•
•
•
Online networking, but
agree to meet in person
Hobbies, learning,
enrichment
Meeting management
o Startup Edmonton
•
•
•
Meetup: High tech and
high touch
Fee to run a group
Group membership is
not always free

20. Google+
• Communities
• Hangouts
o
o
Online conferences
Teaching and
presentation
opportunities
• Need Google+
•
account
Currently supposed
to be #2 social
network

21. Facebook and Twitter
Facebook
Company pages
directed at students
•
Twitter
Specific industries
•
o
o
Communication
Entrepreneurs
•Retweets but not
direct messages

22. Social Media Management
• Hootsuite
o
Connection between social media tools
o
Recipes
o
Are my connections helping me?
• IFTTT
• SocialBro

23. Privacy Issues
• “Human Flesh Search Engine” and doxing
• Privacy policies continually in flux
• Limit picture taking and sharing
o
o
Frenemies
Moral dissonance
• Do I have to turn off my social media while
looking for work?

24. Networking 101
ArtsWORKS Conference