How hard is it to get a job without networking? | Reflections from my first internship search

You’ve heard the sayings.

“Your network is your net worth.”

“The opposite of networking is not working.”

Every upperclassman, professor, and mentor I’ve met has told me that networking will get you where you want to be. My academic advisor even assured me that she has networked her way into every job she has.

There’s a reason why everyone emphasizes networking. According to Jacquelyn Smith at Forbes, “80% of available jobs are never advertised”. A survey by the Adler Group claims an even higher statistic, stating that 85% of jobs are secured through networking.

As an aspiring businesswoman and content creator, I’d first heard about the importance of networking this past semester at Goizueta Business School. And yet, for every 10 people I met at a networking event, 9 people claimed that they detested it. Evidently, there were mixed feelings surrounding networking.

But what exactly is networking?

I came in with the mindset that it meant to stand in at industry events, crowded with tens or hundreds of similar students, competing to make a positive impression on whatever speakers were present.

Dean Andrea Hershatter of Emory’s Goizueta Business School instead offers that networking is on a more one-on-one basis, and that “in general, students understand how valuable networking can be. However, I think many people engaged in a job search don’t know what networking actually is. Effective networking is a long term process that involves building mutually beneficial, authentic relationships.”

Yet, coming from a family that barely has roots in the business sphere, I had little knowledge of how to network. I belong to a first-generation family from China, where the cultural focus is very academic, and extracurriculars, in which relationship building begins, isn’t even an option before college. In fact, China’s college entrance exam is just one big test. It is the only factor that determines which university you're admitted to, and is only administered once annually. My family thus emphasized the skills and knowledge necessary for any job, rather than the networking.

Effective networking is a long term process that involves building mutually beneficial, authentic relationships.

So when I first began applying to internships in January, I’d thought that I could simply turn to job boards for potential opportunities. I felt that I had a fair set of skills and that my resume didn’t look half bad. So I used Handshake--click into a desired position, scan the requirements, upload resume, hit submit. Over and over and over. By February, I quickly realized that this wasn’t working, and added LinkedIn and Glassdoor to my search as well. And then, when I began to get callbacks and interviews, I stopped searching. When I found out I didn’t get the jobs, I started up again.

It was a tedious cycle, and by April, I’m sure the amount of internships I’d applied to through online applications numbered just less than 150. There were times when I would keep refreshing my email, with every new job application notification bringing an adrenaline rush. It didn’t matter if I got an interview request or a polite rejection. Getting results felt like progress, even when I wasn’t getting anywhere. And with every rejection, with every bit of silent, stinging frustration, my resolve became a little stronger, and I applied to a few more openings. I’m sure that this strange sense of defiance alone saved me. But it didn’t make the job search any easier.

According to Paula Harvey, Vice President of Human Resources at Schulte Building Systems, “If you just apply to a company, you’ll go in a pile with everybody else. To be honest, every single one of my interns this summer networked in. They had the requisite knowledge that we wanted for the internship, but they also knew somebody, and that person could speak as an advocate for them.”

Though by April, I had a general idea of this, I still kept wondering, how am I not good enough? How can I add to my skillset to get a job I want? But it wasn’t solely on me, or on my experiences. The internship and job system is part of a deeper institutional problem, in which opportunity is not equally distributed. As Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation, states, “many promising young people with limited means are denied the chance to rise as high as their talent will take them.” In actuality, there are only two factors you need to get a job: the skills for the job, and people you know. You could be the perfect fit for a role, skill-wise, but without expanding your network and establishing meaningful relationships with others, it’s more than likely that your skills alone will not land you the job. It's unfair, but the internship rejections meant that I didn't have the skills, whether they were experience-based skills or those of networking.

They had the requisite knowledge that we wanted for the internship, but they also knew somebody, and that person could speak as an advocate for them.

When I look back on it, I saw that I would apply blindly for up to 10-15 open positions in a day, while some of my friends could just call up their family members or friends for a gig over the summer. Neither way is wrong, but the latter is a lot more effective. And it makes sense. Why would a recruiter put himself or herself out on a limb, when he or she could get an insider’s trusted recommendations?

In the end, I did get an internship at BOLD where I’m currently working, and it happens to be an impactful, meaningful one that I am enjoying every day of. I had a pleasant conversation with an amazing recruiter, who gracefully turned our 30-minute interview to an hour when the conversation was going well and pushed me through for not one but two positions.

So, in short, yes. You can get a job without networking. But it really sucks, and you’ve got to have quite a stroke of luck.

Instead, a better way to go is building connections with others. These are just a few lessons I’ve learned through my process of applying to internships online and reaching out to people one-on-one:

• The point of networking isn’t that you’ll for sure get your dream job. No--networking is a means of growing relationships, that may or may not open up new opportunities. It’s a way of affording chances that you might not expect to have. As I began to reach out to seniors and upperclassmen, I was surprised at how willing they were to take time out of their day to share their experiences and useful advice. Sure, you might not get that Goldman Sachs analyst job. But here’s someone who can offer you a path to get a junior analyst job at a smaller bank, which can eventually lead to your dream job. You never know, especially if you don’t try. So take every opportunity you can in stride.
• Don’t be afraid to reach out. So many people are afraid that other, successful people won’t want to help them that they don’t even put in the effort to talk to them. Paula Harvey says that “that’s the problem. People get daunted and worried. But most of us who are successful realize that it’s helpful to help others. Always live by that pay-it forward philosophy.” Just send a quick email, requesting 15 minutes of time for an informational interview. It’s hard to turn down anyone, especially someone who you’re affiliated with by university or organization, for just 15 minutes.
• Be genuine. Everyone at a networking event is a person, and they can tell if you’re faking it. Be honest and straightforward about your goals, and add a professional spin to it. If you want a job in the consulting industry with a concentration in sports, express to others something like, “I’m looking to explore a potential career path in the management consulting field, specifically in sports management.” It’ll get you where you want to be much faster than beating around the bush.
• Stay connected. Just because you’ve reached out once, doesn’t mean that you’re finished and done. Networking isn’t a simple item you can check off of a list. As Dean Hershatter says, “As you build a network, make sure to nurture it by reaching out when you do not want anything and/or by providing your connections with personal updates, articles or information of interest, or access to others you know. Also, don’t forget to pay it forward by offering a helping hand to those who come after you!”

Networking isn’t easy. In an ideal world, every hiring manager would recruit and hire based on skills and ability. But we don’t live in an ideal world. Recruiters can only reach so far, and opportunities are limited. So you have to take the lead, and expand your professional presence to reach their awareness.

Of course, having received an amazing internship offer from BOLD makes me treasure my exhausting search experience all the more, and I’ll always make the most of the internship I have. But, from my first internship search, these are a few things I’ve picked up and reflected on--things I wish that I’d known before I started my career search, and things I hope that others can learn from before they begin a draining and fruitless search.

I still have a long way to go, and many things to learn through networking. Even so, I’m very fortunate. Although I didn’t have a pre-existing network, my family gave me the privilege of attending an excellent university where alumni relations are strong, and where I’m able to establish my own connections from scratch. Most people don’t have opportunities like this, and I can’t thank my parents, Emory University, and the Goizueta network enough for the experiences and opportunities they’ve shared and will share with me. I hope that one day, I’ll be able to give back in some way, not only to my community, but also to those who didn’t have the chances I’ve had.

#studentvoices #internshipsearch #networking

Do you have any networking tips, supporting / dissenting evidence, or other helpful information for young professionals? I’d love to hear it. Please comment or message me, and let’s start a conversation!