By: Grace Hoffmann
As Spring Ice approaches at Miami University, students of all ages and grades are searching sites such as Handshake, LinkedIn, and Indeed in hopes of finding the perfect job or internship to kickstart their career. These job search platforms provide a great amount of information on the companies visiting the university and about job openings, but are they really the most efficient and effective ways to start the hiring process at a company?
The quick answer: NO. Although the platforms listed above are a great way to start your search, there are many more areas that candidates should be focusing on in order to streamline the hiring process.
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Start networking early, and never stop
Aesop’s Fable of The Lion and the Mouse is a perfect example to show when discussing the importance of networking. Jim Fergle’s article discusses the fable and the moral of the story, “even the small and the weak may help those who are mightier than themselves” (Fergle). With the story, Fergle points out that there are many other points relevant to the business community and networking. One being, you need to “be ready to network anytime, anyplace and with anyone” (Fergle). It is very important to always be considerate of others and treat others with respect no matter their occupation or position in a company. You never know when you might need someone’s help or their network reach.
To learn more about networking and the extent of your network, take a look at the “Job Search Networking Evaluation”.
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Get an employee referral
What is a referral? A referral is a recommendation from an employee or past employee at the company you are applying to. According to an article on U.S. News online, “when an employee refers someone, that candidate is hired about two-thirds of the time” (U.S. News). Referrals are an amazing way to connect with a company! Referrals speed up the hiring process and increase your chances of getting hired. Over 75% of job seekers and those looking to hire candidates even ranked employee referrals in the category of “high to extremely high importance” (U.S. News). So that being said, research the company and use your contacts within the company to get hired!
With such a strong alumni pool, being a student at Miami University is the perfect reason to start your networking early and to get connected! Check out the LinkedIn Alumni Tool to see where past students are working and living. Message or email them to learn more about their position or the company and get networking!
References:
http://dreamjobcoaching.com/job-networking
http://www.worknetdupage.org/blog/2016/01/20/networking-important-job-search/