The Power of Networking

How do people find out about a new job? Here are four stories of four college
students.
Hiro:
I am an international student, so I cannot work at most jobs. I am allowed to work
part-time for the college, however. The tuition is very high for international students,
and I wanted a job to help my parents pay for my education. We have a job board at
school. I looked at the job board each day for a couple of weeks. It was depressing
because there were no jobs available on campus. Then one day I saw an opening
for a part-time job in the accounts office. I took down the job number and asked the
employment adviser for an application. I completed it and had an interview a week
later. Here I am! I enjoy the job, my father is happy I am paying part of the tuition,
and I am improving my English.

Lisa:
I was walking past one of my favourite clothing stores in the mall. I noticed a help
wanted sign in the window. I went in and asked to see the manager. I told her I
loved the store and that I bought most of my clothes there. She gave me an
application and asked me to complete it and come in for an interview. Everything
went well, and I’ve been working at the store for six months.

Hussein:
Every day I got the local paper and opened it to the classified pages. I looked for
computer jobs. I circled the job openings that looked promising. I read the job
advertisements carefully. Most ads ask you to call for an application. I did this and
completed the application as soon as I received it. If I didn’t hear back from the
company after a week, I called and asked about my application. One time I called
and spoke to the manager. She asked me to come in for an interview. I’ve been
working with this company for two years and I’ve already had two promotions.
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Tessa:
All my friends know I am crazy about animals. One day at school, a friend told me
her vet was looking for an assistant. The vet needed someone who knew a lot about
animals. Well, that’s me! I’ve grown up with cats, dogs, chickens, and horses! I
knew this was great experience for the job, so I went in to see the vet. He was really
busy because his receptionist was at lunch and the phone kept ringing. I asked if I
could help. I answered the phone and greeted people with their animals that day.
When the office closed, we talked about the job, and I told him how much I loved
animals. I walked in to ask for an application form, and I walked out with a job!
There are many ways to find a job, including newspaper advertisements, help
wanted signs, and job boards. Online services through the Internet have also
increased the opportunities to learn about new jobs. In fact, there are thousands of
Web sites advertising jobs and offering help in applying for those jobs. Some
services are free; others can be quite expensive. With all these opportunities for job
finding, it is perhaps surprising to learn that about seventy-five percent of all people
get their job the old-fashioned way – through someone they know. This is called
networking.

Networking means meeting other people in order to share information and

support each other. You know lots of people – friends, family, neighbors, co-
workers, students, and teachers. These people are the beginning of your network.
Ask them if they know any job openings. The people you talk to can ask their
friends. Thus, your network expands very quickly. If you ask twenty people, and
each of the twenty asks other five people, then you are actually making one
hundred enquiries about job openings. This is the strength of networking.

Networking not only helps people who are seeking employment, but also has
advantages for the employer. Employers are usually much happier finding a new
employee through someone they know. For one thing, it means they don’t have to
spend a lot of money advertising, which is very expensive. It also saves time.
Moreover, if a good employee recommends a friend, the employer believes the
friend is also likely to be a good employee. So networking helps everyone.
Most people usually don’t limit themselves to just one way of finding a job.
They may network with their friends and apply to advertisements in the newspaper,
for example. Going online and checking which jobs are available is also good
experience – even if you don’t apply for any of these positions. Reading and talking
about employment opportunities increase knowledge and experience, so when the
right interview comes up, you’ll be ready. Above all, remember, three out of every
four people get their jobs through not only what they know, but who they know.
Networking works.