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Alumnae Alyson Welch shares her networking experience and advice<\/em><\/p>\n What role has networking played in your career exploration and job search? <\/strong><\/p>\n Networking has played a huge role in my professional development.\u00a0 Four years ago, I moved to Madrid, Spain and had no idea what I was going to do.\u00a0 After a few months, I found a job and two internships through networking\u2014through a friend of my mother-in-law, a college contact and a previous internship supervisor.<\/p>\n When we moved back to Vermont almost three years ago, I was concerned about finding a job. I started identifying companies of interest and looking for contacts at these companies.\u00a0 In three months, I met with four people from Tetra Tech ARD, all referred to me through various contacts (a former UVM professor, a college friend of my husband\u2019s and a friend of a friend that I met at a birthday party.)\u00a0 When a position opened up at Tetra Tech ARD, I eagerly applied and used the knowledge I had acquired through networking to help write my cover letter and prepare for the interview.<\/p>\n Networking can be a bit intimidating.\u00a0 What has helped you network effectively?<\/strong><\/p>\n People are much more willing to share information and provide advice than to give you a job. If you are just looking for information, it\u2019s easier to ask people to chat.<\/p>\n I\u2019m kind of shy, so it\u2019s a little intimidating to me to reach out to people that I don\u2019t know. I\u2019ve tried to challenge myself and send emails or call people, thinking that it\u2019s always worth a shot.\u00a0 I actually don\u2019t like the word \u201cnetworking\u201d as it sounds sort of insincere.\u00a0 I prefer to think of it as meeting people and building relationships that are mutually beneficial. Keeping this in mind makes networking \u2013 or relationship-building – more organic and, to me, rewarding.\u00a0 People were very good to me during my job search and I\u2019ve tried to do the same now that I have a job.<\/p>\n What advice might you give to a senior who isn\u2019t sure how to begin their network? <\/strong><\/p>\n Keep your request to meet short and simple. Be prepared and have a list of questions ready. Ask people to suggest other contacts. Remember to thank the person. Keep track of who you have met and follow up from time to time.\u00a0 Try to keep your network alive.\u00a0 Invite the people you have met to connect on LinkedIn<\/p>\n Also, use LinkedIn to identify UVM alums in your field and reach out to them. Check with professors, co-workers and family\/friends to see if they might recommend professional contacts. Think about who is already in your network \u2013 maybe your aunt knows someone.\u00a0 Never doubt the importance of any connection\u2014even if someone is not in your field, you never know who they might know.<\/p>\n The most important thing to do is just start networking.\u00a0 Once you start, you\u2019ll gain momentum and it can even become fun.\u00a0 Moreover, I am confident that networking is the best way to ultimately find a job \u2013 especially one that you\u2019ll like.<\/p>\n Alyson Welch
\nProject Manager at Tetra Tech ARD<\/p>\n