
Networking: Returning the F
avor
In this d
ay
and
age,
your extensive network prob
ably pl
ayed
an import
ant role for
you as
you l
anded
your first job. Reflect upon
your experience se
arching for
a job
after
you finished college. Who
helped you get
you where
you are? For m
any recent college gr
adu
ates this is
a long list. It often includes friends, f
amily members, professors, job counselors,
and b
asic
ally
anyone
you trusted to help
you through this difficult
time.
When you fin
ally l
and
your first job, it is import
ant th
at
you return the f
avor. Remember how good it felt
when you were offered th
at job? It m
ade the people who
helped you get there
also feel gre
at. Now it is
your turn.
Once
you est
ablish
yourself
at
your new job (
a process th
at typic
ally t
akes
a few weeks or months),
you c
an st
art looking out for new positions th
at need to be filled. In this current job m
arket,
you are sure to know some people th
at need help finding
a job. Before
you go offering jobs to
all of
your friends, do some rese
arch
about the position or positions
av
ail
able. M
ake sure th
at the
person you h
ave in mind is qu
alified. The l
ast thing
you w
ant to do
at
a rel
atively new job is stick
your neck out on the line for
a buddy th
at does not fit in the comp
any.