Networking or more casually known as “relationship-ing” is simply the active process of learning about and getting to know others with professional interests in mind. This is one of the most successful ways to develop and design your career path!

You can grow and develop your network at all stages of your life – whether it is to help you explore career possibilities, learn about unique roles and opportunities as you approach a job search, or make a career transition in the future.

KEY NETWORKING RULES

Networking is not about a transactional experience where you should expect to get a concrete outcome from your first conversation. It is about getting to know and learn about others in a way that establishes and maintains a connection over time.

Networking is most useful when it is beneficial to both parties. While you can benefit from learning about a day-in-the-life of a professional’s job role, they can benefit from something you have to offer as well. While you may not feel you have much to give, consider what would be of interest to your contact. An alum might appreciate an update about what is happening in Auburn Engineering.

Networks are truly established with people you establish, maintain, and expand a relationship with. Five contacts you sustain a relationship with over time are more valuable than 500 virtual connections.

HOW TO GET STARTED

Create a list of 10-20 people you know. You may be surprised how many contacts you already have! Start by considering the 5 F’s of networking:
  • Friends | Current and former classmates, fraternity or sorority friends, teammates, friends of friends
  • Family | Moms, Dads, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, In-Laws, So-close-they’re-family friends, neighbors
  • Faculty | Professors, Teaching Assistants, Staff, Graduate Students, School Administrators, Advisors, Coaches
  • Fellow Peers and Alumni | Co-workers, Student Organization Members, Alumni Councils for your department or organization or within 100+ Women Strong, Auburn alumni found on LinkedIn
  • Foundations and Associations | Career societies relevant to your interest areas such as AiCHE, ASCE, ASABE, NSBE, SHPE, SWE, IEEE. Consider starting by exploring the student chapters of these associations.
  • Others | People you volunteered with, local business owners. Brainstorm!

You started with the people you know, or the people you know who know someone. Now you can expand by digging into more specific areas of interest and identifying contacts with links to those interests.

Learn about industry areas

Identify potential contacts

Build or update personal branding materials and social networking profiles

Professional contacts and employers want to get a sense of who they are engaging (and potentially employing!). Your job search materials and digital profiles makeup your personal branding or a representation of who you are. Keep track of all applicable materials and profiles. 

Essential materials and profiles:  

If you have social media profiles and/or personal portfolios, ensure they provide a consistent and positive representation of your personal brand even when applied to both social and professional settings: 

Reach out to contacts with a personable approach and an intent to learn from their experience – not an intent to get something from them (i.e. can you help me get a job?). When reaching out to potential contacts for the first time, consider:
  • Your personal pitch, or elevator pitch: a brief (30 second - 2 minute) introduction which helps a professional contact get to know a bit about you, your experience, and your interests and goals
  • Requesting an informational interview or career conversation: a "get to know you conversation" where you can ask questions about your contact's professional role, pathway to their current position, and advice for students or new professionals exploring their industry area.  
  • Keep track of who you want to reach out to, who you meet with, and topics of discussion.

example spreadsheet

There are many ways you can begin networking in a variety of environments - right here on campus at Auburn!

Engineering Career Events 
The CDCR regularly hosts career events where you can connect with employers and/or alumni in different settings and for different purposes. 
  • Career Fair | Engage with 60+ employers hiring for internships, co-ops, and full-time roles. A great place for freshmen - seniors and graduate students to explore opportunities, practice networking, and make connections that have immediate or future payoff. Learn more about career fairs >>
  • Industry Day | Designed to showcase a particular industry area where you can learn from industry leaders from  diverse group of companies. Format typically entails lunch, brief pitch or presentation from company participants, and an open browse and networking session.
  • Lunch and Learn | Informal small group mentoring meetings with employers over lunch where they discuss their professional experiences and career advice.
  • Employer-in-Residence | One-on-one or small group sessions with employers as they share advice on professional development topics such as reviewing a resume, interview preparation tips, navigating a job search, and more.
  • Table Talk | Casual tabling sessions in which employers can answer questions + tell you about their company and opportunities
  • Student Organization Meeting with Employer Guest | Employers visit student organization meetings to meet students interested in specific industry areas on present on relevant topics

Find all upcoming Engineering Career Events!

Student Organizations, Research Groups, or Project Teams

Join a student organization, research group, or project team. Get to know and learn about the experiences of your peers with like-minded interests! Consider joining the student chapter of an engineering professional association and attend a professional conference to meet and learn about the career path of professionals in your field of interest.

Faculty Members

Visit faculty members to discuss possible research interests, opportunities, and advice about graduate school.

Find a Faculty Expert>

Continue communicating so the experience is not limited to a one-time conversation, but grows into an established contact.
  • Note and record personal details you gleaned from the conversation. Tailor your future follow ups to the needs and interests of your contact.
  • Thank them promptly and often for their help. Express your gratitude for their time and advice.
  • Keep your contacts informed about your career-related progress and job search activity.
  • Keep yourself updated about events and activities that might involve or impact your contacts. Research news sources associated with their industry and follow key players and organizations through social media.
  • You will make a good impression by showing you act and communicate in a professional manner.
  • When a job opening comes along, your contact might think of you. While informational interviews sometimes result in opportunities – they don’t always. Make sure you never expect to get a job directly from them.

CRAFT YOUR COMMUNICATION

Professional Communication

A style of communication for use within professional contexts or settings. It is used for a variety of purposes such as: 

  • Personal introductions and outreach to professional contacts
  • Networking in formal and in-formal settings
  • Following-up with recruiters and/or interviewers 
  • Interviewing
  • Presentations
  • Communication with colleagues in the workplace
  • Thank you notes after an interview or networking conversation

Professional communication can occur in a variety of formats and settings such as: 

Face-to-face

  • On-campus networking opportunities | Table Talks, Lunch + Learns, Employer-in-Residence meetings, Industry Days, Career Fairs, Interviews
  • Career Conversations or Informational Interviews with professionals
  • Student organization meetings
  • Internship or co-op workplace staff meetings and informal interactions
  • Phone calls to schedule interviews or receive, accept or decline job offer
  • Presentations and showcases
  • Conferences

Digital 

  • Email
  • LinkedIn messaging
  • AU Engineering Ginn Connections platform 
  • Workplace chat platforms such as Teams or Slack
  • Virtual video-enabled platforms such as Zoom or Teams
 

Use of professional communication, or lack of a professional style, will contribute to the way you make an impression on your listener or audience. 

When preparing to create a message for a professional communication context, consider the following questions: 

  1. WHO are you communicating to? 
  2. WHAT subject do you want to communicate? 
  3. WHY do you want to communicate this subject? 
  4. HOW can you create a meaningful message? 

E-MAILS 

When delivering professional communication messages by e-mail, keep these tips in mind:

 

Strategies for effective e-mail communication
Strategy Example
Include an appropriate subject line and greeting. Use titles, even if you know the individuals well because your contact might forward your correspondence to others for purposes related to your e-mail subject. 

Dear Mr. Hall,

OR

Dear Professor Sterling,
Identify who you are and why you are contacting them Greetings, 

My name is Aubie Anderson. I was enrolled in your ENGR 1100 course last semester and specifically enjoyed our Shark Tank group project. Would you be willing to speak with me about the judges' comments about my team's project as it is something we seek to pursue further. 
Keep your email concise, using correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. 
If you are requesting a meeting or phone call, offer several specific dates + times when you are available. This will make it easier for the recipient to respond in a timely fashion.  Would you be willing to speak with me about the judges' comments about my team's project as it is something we seek to pursue further? I am available during the following upcoming timeframes. Please let me know if any of these dates suit your schedule: 
  -Monday, 1/21, 8:30 - 10:30a
  -Tuesday, 1/23, 12 - 1:30p
Include your contact information in your signature. 

Aubie Anderson
Second year ENGR student
334.844.0000
aubie.anderson@auburn.edu 

OR 

Aubie Anderson
Undergraduate Student, Biosystems Engineering
Ambassador, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering
334.844.0000
aubie.anderson@auburn.edu 

LINKEDIN 

LinkedIn contacts are a resourceful way to connect professionally with alumni and other working professionals. When using LinkedIn messaging in your professional communication: 

  • Keep your message brief (one paragraph or less, per LinkedIn character requirement)
  • Introduce yourself! Include your name, university, and what you are studying
  • Explain what you want to accomplish and why you are contacting them

The Muse | How to write LinkedIn messages that actually get read

The Muse | Want people to accept your LinkedIn requests? Use these 10 templates

OTHER SAMPLE WRITTEN FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

Verbal Communication

Verbal communication can be face-to-face, over the phone, or via Zoom and other digital platforms. Some verbal engagements are informal such as chatting with a friend over coffee or a co-worker in the office kitchen. Others are more formal such as a scheduled meeting or presentation. 

Non-Verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication entails the messages communicated to others through body language or facial expressions and accounts for much of what is conveyed in a variety of communication settings. It is critical to stay aware of what you may communicate through non-verbal cues such as eye-contact, facial expressions, hand movements or gestures, handshake, or posture. 

Strategies for effective verbal + non-verbal communication
Audience
  • Consider your audience's perspective and tailor your message accordingly
Clear and concise
  • Speak clearly and confidently
  • Don't mumble or speak too quietly for your audience to hear; if appropriate for the setting, consider using a microphone
  • Consider speaking at a slower pace than you might naturally
  • Avoid extraneous or informal language such as filler words: "like, um, so...., yea" 
Tone
  • Be mindful of how your tone can affect the message
  • Variation in tone helps to convey interest and enthusiasm
  • Avoid increasing the pitch of your voice at the end of a sentence as it can cause your statement to sound like a question
Body language
  • Maintain an upright posture with back straight, shoulders relaxed, and head held high
  • Offer a firm yet brief handshake with a good web connection between the two hands; avoid limp or overly aggressive grips
  • Use gestures appropriately
  • Make eye contact to convey confidence, engagement, and genuine / sincerity 
  • Be mindful of your facial expressions, maintaining a subtle smile or pleasant or warm expression
  • Mirror the language of the person you are communicating with to build rapport
  • Nod to show you are listening and engage
  • Lean slightly towards the speaker to show interest
Active listening
  • Pay close attention to what others are saying, verbally and nonverbally
  • Demonstrate you are engaged with body language such as pleasant facial expressions, head nodding, leaning slightly toward the speaker, and mirroring the speaker's body language
Build emotional intelligence
  • Develop an ability to understand and manage your emotions
  • Recognize and respond appropriately to the emotions of others
Check for understanding
  • Encourage feedback and ask clarifying questions when appropriate to ensure our message is understood
Communication Samples and Guidelines

Can you use artificial intelligence tools to craft professional communication? 
Short answer: Yes. 

However, as with all tools, you should consider an AI-generated response as incomplete with the need for editing, tailoring, and customizing for your context. Use these tools as a guide to help you craft a response, then edit and revise them to ensure they sound like you and accurate represent your intended message.

How to Find Company Contacts

Did you write down the name of the employer you met with at a recent career event but forget to ask for their contact information? It is time to use your research skills! Here are 3 ways to locate a company contact:

Handshake 
Search the company's name in the Handshake search bar and navigate to the company's Handshake page. Search the page for the Contact List. Some companies list a general contact email and phone number, while others include a specific recruiter's name and contact information. See if there is a contact listed who matches the person you met with.

CareerShift 
A subscription-based database you have exclusive access to through Auburn University. You can search companies and view contacts within a company to access the company's employees and locate their e-mail and phone number.

LinkedIn 
Develop a LinkedIn profile, search for your contact, and send a customized connection message. Don't have a LinkedIn account yet?

Recommend ways to search for your contact on LinkedIn:

  • Search the employer's name in the site search bar
  • Search the company name, navigate to the company's LinkedIn page, select "people" on the left menu, search the employer name

RESOURCES