The document provides guidance on effective professional networking strategies for career searching. It emphasizes that networking involves intentionally connecting with others to gain career insights, build confidence, and learn about opportunities. The document outlines 13 steps for networking, including knowing your goals, researching contacts, following up, asking for referrals, and maintaining connections over time. Effective networking is presented as a key tool for career exploration and job searching.

1. Career Center Search Strategically
Professional Networking
Intentional, sustained and effective networking is the most powerful tool you will
use when searching for interesting internships, jobs and other experiences.
Believe it or not, networking is something you already
do, and it’s likely that you do it well! Think about your
first weeks on campus, meeting fellow students and
exchanging information related to your discoveries
about Duke life like bus routes, where to eat, interesting
activities and great professors.
By sharing information and asking around when you
wanted to learn something new, you figured things out
more quickly than if you had tried to go it alone. Beyond
information, perhaps you introduced your math-whiz
roommate to your calculus-confused friend for some
informal tutoring. Exchanging useful information while
seeking and creating helpful introductions are the essence
of networking.
Why Network?
Authentically and strategically connecting with people
enables you to:
• Gain insider knowledge and insight into the
career field, industry or organization and the day-to-
day experiences, career paths, terminology,
organizational culture, reliable sources of industry
information and more.
• Build self-confidence and gain personal clarity by
speaking about yourself, career interests and future
goals.
• Expand the number of people you know who are
doing things you’re curious about.
• Learn about opportunities, sometimes before they
are publicized. (Note: networking is NOT the same
as asking for a job.)
• Refine your goals, make well-informed decisions
in your search and make a positive impression
on employers and those who are evaluating your
candidacy.
How Do I Network? (The Basics)
Even after years of practice, introducing yourself to
someone new can feel risky, but most of us learn that
it is worth it. Students commonly say that their level
of nervousness far exceeded the actual task, and once
started, the conversations are often fun!
Everyone starts as a beginner and with practice comes
improvement. Feel free to tell people that this is new for
you and that one of the things you’re seeking their insight
about is effective networking and how it has played a role
in their job searches or career path! It’s okay.
Duke Career Center • studentaffairs.duke.edu/career • 919-660-1050 •
Bay 5, Smith Warehouse, 2nd Floor • 114 S. Buchanan Blvd., Box 90950, Durham, NC 27708

2. 13 Steps to Get Started
Suggestions for effective networking:
1. Know yourself.
Be prepared to talk about yourself to launch the
conversation. However, it’s critical to remember that
this isn’t a hiring conversation and you’re not trying to
be persuasive or make a pitch that you’re a viable job
candidate. To be successful in a networking conversation,
consider this prompt: What are you trying to learn or
clarify right now and why do you imagine that this person
may have insights that will help you?
2. Make a list of your current relationships.
Remind yourself that there are lots of people that you’ve
connected to over the course of your life by creating a
list. Include categories like summer camp, coaches and
teammates, coworkers, etc., or people by name. You may
want to create a LinkedIn.com account and link to people
as you think of them.
3. Do not discount ANYONE.
By definition, your “network” continues beyond who you
know, and includes extended relationships or shared
affiliations, too.
4. Create a plan.
You might feel most comfortable if you think about why
you’re reaching out to people and in what order you want
to have these conversations. You might want to start with
people who seek to have the closest connections to your
interest area. Alternatively, you may want to reach out
to those you feel most comfortable with. Either way will
work, as long as you’re prepared to follow through on the
plan.
5. Do your homework.
Learn a little bit about each person you contact and
prepare questions that are specific to their experiences.
Perhaps you want to know more about their profession,
current projects, company, motivations for career choices
or how different experiences have connected together. Use
the power of the internet to your advantage.
6. Draft and practice.
Your opening communications, whether by email,
phone or in person, always set the tone for the rest of
the interaction. Be thoughtful about how you introduce
yourself and how you articulate what you’re hoping to
learn from them. A little specificity can go a long way.
7. Make your move.
Networking exists to create a human connection, so
you’re always aspiring to an in-person conversation. As
you might imagine, video chat, phone or email could be
less effective, with email or any typed communication
least likely to move you toward your goal. In most cases, it
makes sense to begin with an email and move to another
mode as quickly as you can.
8. Follow up.
Contact them again after a week if you receive no
response. You can say that talking to them is important
enough to you that you wanted to give a second attempt.
Keep a positive tone and be sure that they are aware
that this is an individualized request, with their specific
knowledge and experiences in mind.
9. Set the tone.
Know and explain why you are meeting and what you
hope to learn in today’s conversation. You won’t be able to
get to all topics, but here are a few to consider: industry
information, career exploration and decisions, job search
advice, and how to keep up with professional news. Keep
in mind that you are NOT asking for a job or internship,
but questions like, “I’m interested in your company’s
internships. Do you have advice for learning more about
them or submitting a strong application?” or “I’m very
interested in a job in your department. Do you have any
advice I should consider when I’m applying?” can be very
helpful and appropriate.
10. Ask for referrals.
One of the best questions you can ask in any networking
conversation is, “Based on some of the things we talked
about today, do you have suggestions for others I might
contact to learn more?”.
11. Send a thank-you note.
Do this within 48 hours and an email is ok. Before you
write, identify one or two things that were particularly
memorable about the conversation. Include a short
reference to these things in the note. It’s okay to reference
something fun or personal, it doesn’t have to be only
“business”.
12. Maintain connections.
You have an opportunity to sustain the relationship
with every person you meet and can do so with a simple
action. Take the advice you are given. Do something they
recommend and write a short update on your progress,
even if it isn’t a rousing success. Repeat this as many times
as you can! People share insights for a reason, and will
generally appreciate hearing that it was something that
made an impact on you. If you follow through and tell
them that they inspired action, it’s an opportunity for you
to show that their time spent with you was meaningful.
Even more, if you’d like to have a future conversation,
they’ll be more motivated to help because they’ve seen
that time with you is well spent!
13. Be patient.
Like planting seeds in a garden, the results of networking
often show over time. Never stop networking.
Duke Career Center • studentaffairs.duke.edu/career • 919-660-1050 • Bay 5, Smith Warehouse, 2nd Floor •
114 S. Buchanan Blvd., Box 90950, Durham, NC 27708