Networking
Networking is an essential component of the job search for individuals with advanced degrees. Building relationships with individuals inside the professional communities, firms, or fields you are interested in entering will help you hear about job opportunities and learn important information about how to be legible as a viable candidate for different kinds of positions. Although networking can seem intimidating, in fact, it is a natural human act of building positive and mutually beneficial relationships. As a graduate student at Emory, you already have a strong network of colleagues, professors, and peers. Below are some resources that can help you grow your network.
LinkedIn is a free social networking site focused on professional and work communities and it is how most people curate their professional networks. A robust LinkedIn profile will make a material impact upon your job search, particularly if you are pursuing careers beyond the professoriate. But LinkedIn can also be used as a research tool, to help you learn about potential employers and positions, and to explore the kinds of careers that individuals with degrees like yours have pursued. Below are some useful LinkedIn resources.
- LinkedIn: The Missing Manual - As a graduate student in the Laney Graduate School, you have access to a free comprehensive course about mastering LinkedIn for the job search. You can gain instant access to this course by filling out this form.
- Tip Sheet: How to Network on LinkedIn - A brief step-by-step guide to networking on LinkedIn.
- Tip Sheet: Using Linkedin to Find a Job or Internship - A brief step-by-step guide to using LinkedIn to find a Job or Internship.
- Tips and Strategies for Using LinkedIn – a guide from Michigan State University PhD Career Services.
Informational Interviews
An informational interview is a conversation with someone to learn more about a particular field, industry, job, or career path. These conversations range from informal to formal and with people you know or with perfect strangers. Although informational interviews can be helpful at any stage of the job search, it is best to start early as part of the career exploration process—even as soon as you develop an interest in a particular field or job. Informational interviews will help you learn valuable information about the culture of a firm and what constitutes desirable qualities in a job candidate, and you will walk away with a new member of your network.
- Informational Interviewing - A guide adapted from UCSF’s OCPD.
- Informational Interviewing Tips - A guide from Monster.
- 5 Ways to Maximize Informational Interviews – And Pet Peeves to Avoid - An article from Forbes with helpful tips for preparing for informational interviews.
Connect with Alumni
There are many opportunities to connect with Laney Graduate School’s distinguished alumni network. Learn more about the many ways you can connect with your LGS alumni community at the Connect with LGS Alumni page.
- Ask an Emory Alum – a tool that matches questions with alumni who have relevant experience.
- Emory Connects - A professional networking tool like LinkedIn for the Emory community.
- Pathways Beyond the Professoriate - A panel discussion series featuring LGS alumni working in diverse career paths.
- Emory Laney Graduate School Linkedin Group - A LinkedIn group managed by the LGS AAE team for LGS Alumni.
- Connect Directly with LGS’s AAE Team - If you are interested in connecting with specific alumni in areas that interest you, feel free to reach out to Monica Polisetty, Senior Director of Advancement and Alumni Engagement.