4 Ways to Network Online
This week’s blog is written by Sam Folz, current ECS Peer Career Coach (CSE, May 2022) and incoming Software Engineering Associate at Capital One.
The professional world has transformed and now conducts business online significantly more than we’ve ever seen before. This affords many new opportunities, including the ability to network online with other engineers and individuals in your field. Below are 4 ways you can take advantage of this new online world and network with others virtually.
There are two primary groups to network with when using LinkedIn: OSU Alumni and Recruiters. Let’s start with the first. Ohio State has a verified page on LinkedIn that, once you’re accepted to it, allows you to search among over 345,000 alumni. You can filter alumni based on where they live and where they work, and also search by title. This is a great option because you already have something in common with everyone in this community (Ohio State, of course!). You can reach out to alumni who work at a company you’re interested in and ask about their experience. Or you can ask about where the location they’re working from to see if it’s a place you would potentially move to. Here are some additional ideas of what to ask in an informational interview.
Now onto the second primary group: recruiters. A great opportunity to connect with recruiters on LinkedIn is during career fairs. Be sure to ask for contact information after a conversation with a recruiter so you can connect with them later on LinkedIn and send them a meaningful connection message. Please refer to how to craft meaningful connection requests.
Handshake
Another great way to network is using Handshake. One way to use this medium is by searching for recruiters or employees from a specific company. You can look in the Public Staff section (Handshake > Employers > *search for employer* > *click into company page* > scroll down to “Public Staff List”) and check if a company has any recruiters or employees listed. If any are listed, you can message them in Handshake after clicking on their name. Similarly, there also may be recruiter email information on a company’s page too. Many times the company may just list a general recruiting email, but sometimes they will also list an email to an actual recruiter. This opens a great opportunity for us to email them and network with them! You can find this information underneath a company’s Contact Information section (Handshake > Employers > *search for employer* > *click into company page* > scroll down to “Contact Information”).
Handshake also offers us a way to find and connect with both alumni and current students at OSU. Again, we can navigate to a company's Handshake page to search for students (Handshake > Employers > *search for employer* > *click into company page* > scroll down to *Students Who’ve Worked Here* > See All > use filters based on your preferences). From here, you can message students who previously or currently work for the company you selected. This is a great way to connect with individuals who work at companies you’re interested in and start a conversation about their experiences.
Professional Organizations
There are numerous professional organizations (engineering and non-engineering) that have large communities with regular, virtual networking opportunities. Some examples of professional associations are the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Search "Job Search Resources" in the Handshake Resource Library to find a document that contains a few professional organizations underneath “Specialized Resources.” Also, feel free to search online for organizations that fit your professional interests, there are tons out there. Once you find an organization that shares your interests, search around on their website to find networking opportunities.
Student Organizations
Student organizations are a great way to network with other students that share similar interests, and many currently hold virtual meetings and events throughout the year. Some great ways to connect with others are to talk about internship/co-op experiences, certain classes you’ve enjoyed or disliked, and any other interests you may have. This is a great way to hear different perspectives from your peers and make friends as you progress in your professional and academic career.
Also, many clubs have companies you can engage with, often having OSU alumni as their representatives. For example, the Cyber Security club has a relationship with Battelle and will bring in Security Engineers to give presentations on various topics. This is a great opportunity to connect with the representatives to discuss what their path was, what they look for in job candidates, and to develop a professional relationship with a successful engineer. Please refer to this vast list of over 100 student organizations within the College of Engineering at OSU.
"Networking is an investment in your business. It takes time and when done correctly can yield great results for years to come." - Diane Helbig
