Networking is the art of holding a conversation and making a positive impression to form a mutually beneficial connection with someone. It is something you do every day with your friends, colleagues and the new people you meet in your life.

In terms of your career, networking can be a useful tool in developing your labour market knowledge, exploring career openings, and in some instances can also lead to unadvertised job opportunities. Finding a contact with knowledge about an industry, or about a company or job can save valuable time and increase your understanding of the post that you are applying for.

Anyone can develop their network at any time – you don’t have to have lots of connections to begin with. In fact, sometimes it is a good idea to keep your network small to begin with as you develop strong relationships with your connections.

Networking is: an effective and recommended method for increasing your awareness of opportunities when job hunting and for making potential employers aware of you.

Networking is not: about asking influential people for a job – chances are they won’t have one available on demand.

Networking

Improve your networking skills

Skills you need for networking:

  • Informal and formal social skills
  • Good communication skills
  • Active listening skills

Note: You can still develop your network if you are reserved or shy. Good networking is often about asking lots of questions and showing a genuine interest in what the other person has to say, so don’t worry if you’re not always confident talking about yourself.

See our Career Snapshot: Making the most of employer events - a short guide to help you prepare for employer events and networking opportunities.

If you are at the beginning stages of building your network, the five-point plan below might be useful:

Beginning Networking: a five-point plan

  1. Have a goal in mind – networking is usually most successful if you have already done a bit of research into a sector or a company, so you have an idea of what you’d like to achieve by developing your network.
  2. Who are your contacts already? List people you know who are connected to your chosen career area and people who may know someone else who is. Consider academic staff, alumni, employers/alumni visiting our careers fairs, parents/ relatives, their friends, parents and relatives of your friends and so on. Each of these contacts is likely to have their own network of further contacts.
  3. Plan where you will do your networking. Plan where you will do your networking, both in-person and online. Opportunities could include careers fairs, employer talks, conferences, industry projects, professional bodies or special interest groups. Have a look at the Events Calendar on JobsLive for some ideas coming up soon.
  4. How will you make your introduction? It might help to prepare a short paragraph or two, introducing yourself, stating what you have to offer and what your plans are as a good starting point. This might include what you’re currently doing at Imperial, some information about relevant work experience/projects/skills developed and your thoughts or ideas about how your contact could help you (e.g. provide a few minutes of their time to discuss...).
  5. Follow up and say thanks. Follow up your arrangements with your contact and prepare questions you wish to ask, thinking about the initial goal you had in mind. Are you trying to find out what it’s like to work in a particular company or sector? Are you hoping to find out what skills are most sought after in new graduates? Make sure to thank the people that have given their time for you, as this leaves a positive impression of the interaction and builds your reputation.