Effective networking is about building professional relationships, showing genuine interest and making it easier for people to understand what you are looking for. You may already have the beginnings of a useful network. Lecturers, classmates, former colleagues, university alumni, careers advisers and people you have met through work experience may all be able to offer insight or introduce you to someone else.
Networking works best when it is planned, professional and connected to your wider search. Explore our Graduate LinkedIn and Networking Guide.
Networking works best when it is planned, professional and connected to your wider search. Explore our Graduate LinkedIn and Networking Guide.
What is professional networking and how can it help?
Professional networking is the process of building and maintaining relationships with people who can share knowledge, advice, introductions or opportunities. It can happen through LinkedIn, careers fairs, employer events, university societies, work experience, professional bodies and informal conversations with people you already know.
Networking is a two-way relationship. Even if you are at the start of your career, you can still listen carefully, share useful information, support other people and keep contacts updated on your progress. The aim is not to bypass an employer’s recruitment process. It is to understand the market, become more visible and decide where to focus your job search. A useful conversation may not lead directly to a vacancy, but it can still help you understand what a role involves, which skills employers value and what alternative job titles or organisations you should explore. It may also lead to an introduction, event or opportunity that is not widely advertised.
Networking is just one route into the Hidden Graduate Job Market, but it should support advertised applications rather than replace them.
Start with a clear goal
Networking becomes much easier when you know what you want to learn. Avoid beginning with a vague request for “any jobs”. Think about the roles, sectors or organisations you want to explore and identify the information you are missing. You might want to understand what an analyst does each day, how a graduate entered sustainability consulting or whether smaller technology companies recruit throughout the year. A clear goal helps you choose suitable contacts and ask better questions. You do not need to have one fixed career plan. You can explore two or three related options, but give people a clear sense of your interests so they know how they might help. If you are still unsure what direction suits you, use the Graduate Self-Assessment guide before starting a large networking campaign.
Begin with people you already know
Your first professional contacts do not need to be strangers. Start with classmates, lecturers, tutors, former colleagues, managers, society members, family friends and people you met through placements or volunteering. They may not work in your chosen field, but they could know someone who does.
Your university may also connect you with alumni through mentoring schemes, events and online platforms. Contact people individually rather than sending one generic message. Briefly explain what you are exploring, then ask for advice or the name of someone else you could contact. If they offer an introduction, thank them and ask whether you may mention their name. If you can, before attending an event, research the speakers and organisations and prepare a few questions that go beyond information already available online.
Use LinkedIn to find relevant contacts
LinkedIn can help you identify alumni, recruiters and people working in roles that interest you. Search by job title, employer, university or sector. Review profiles to understand how people entered the field and what experience they gained along the way. Before sending a connection request, look for a genuine point of relevance. You may share a university, have attended the same event or be interested in a specific part of the person’s career. Add context to your request where possible. A connection request is only the beginning. Do not follow it immediately with a broad request for a job.
The Graduate Guide to LinkedIn explains how to build your profile, identify contacts and use the platform during your job search.
How to ask for career advice
A good networking message is brief, specific and easy to answer. Introduce yourself, explain why you chose that person and make one clear request. This could be a question by message or a short conversation by telephone or video call.
For example:
“Hello Daniel, I’m a final-year environmental science student exploring careers in sustainability consulting. I read about your move from environmental research into advisory work and would be interested to understand what helped you make that transition. Would you be open to a short conversation or sharing one or two suggestions by message?”
Avoid sending a full life story or several questions at once. Give them enough information to understand your request but keep it easy to answer. People may not reply because they are busy, inactive on the platform or unable to help. Silence is not necessarily a judgement on you. One polite follow-up is reasonable after a suitable period. If there is still no response, move on.
Prepare for an informational conversation
An informational conversation is a short discussion in which you learn about someone’s work, career route or industry. It is not a hidden interview, and you should not turn it into an unexpected request for employment. Research the person and organisation beforehand. You could ask what the role involves in practice, which skills matter most, what experience graduates should build or how the organisation normally recruits.
Listen carefully and allow the discussion to develop. The person may raise job titles, employers or career routes you had not considered. Keep to the agreed time unless they choose to continue. At the end, thank them and ask whether they recommend anyone else you could speak to. Send a short thank-you message afterwards. If you act on their advice, you may update them later. This helps the relationship feel genuine rather than transactional.
Network at careers fairs and employer events
Careers fairs give you direct access to recruiters, employees and recent graduates. Do some research before attending, identify the employers most relevant to you and prepare a brief introduction. This is more effective than asking what the company does when the answer is already on its website. You do not need to deliver a memorised speech. Give the other person enough information to understand your interest, then allow the conversation to continue naturally.
Make a short note after each useful conversation. Record the person’s name, what you discussed and any action you agreed to take. Where appropriate, connect on LinkedIn afterwards and mention the event in your message.
Build a professional reputation
Networking is shaped by how you behave, not just by how many people you meet. Reply when someone offers help, arrive on time and prepare properly. If someone introduces you to a contact, follow it up promptly and respectfully because their reputation may also be involved.
Your CV, LinkedIn profile and networking conversations should also give a consistent picture of your interests and experience. The aim is not to create a polished but false persona. Building Your Personal Brand explains how to present yourself consistently without losing your personality.
Ask for introductions carefully
Introductions can help you reach people outside your immediate network. When someone suggests another contact, ask whether they would feel comfortable introducing you or allowing you to mention their name. Do not assume that an introduction guarantees a reply, meeting or opportunity. The new contact still decides whether and how to respond.
When making contact, explain the connection clearly:
“Jane doe suggested I contact you after we discussed graduate roles in medical communications. She thought your experience moving from laboratory work into account management might be helpful.”
Respect any limits the person sets. They may be willing to answer a question but not review your CV, make a referral or discuss confidential work.
Keep professional relationships active
Networking should not end as soon as you receive advice. You do not need to contact everyone regularly. A brief update after reaching a milestone can be enough. You might let someone know that you followed their recommendation, completed a placement or secured an interview in the field you discussed.
Stay in touch when you have a genuine reason, such as congratulating someone, sharing a useful resource or meeting them again at an event. Avoid contacting people only when you need something. Small, natural interactions help build trust over time. Remember that relationships can develop in both directions. As you gain experience, you may be able to support other students or introduce people within your own network.
What should you do if someone says no?
Not everyone will have the time, knowledge or confidence to help. A refusal does not mean you made a mistake by asking. Thank the person and move on without pressuring them. If several people ignore your messages, check whether they are too long, vague or demanding.
Do not continue contacting someone who has clearly declined. Persistence can be useful when following an application process, but repeated unwanted messages can harm your reputation. A strong networking strategy involves contacting several relevant people rather than depending on one individual.
Common networking mistakes
Asking for a job immediately
A new contact may not know enough about you to recommend you. Begin with a reasonable request for information or advice.
Being too vague
Saying that you are interested in “anything” gives the other person little direction. Explain the fields or roles you are exploring.
Contacting only senior leaders
People at an earlier stage of their careers may have more recent knowledge of graduate recruitment and may be easier to approach.
Failing to prepare
Research the person and organisation before speaking to them. Do not ask for information that is readily available online.
Treating every conversation as a transaction
Show interest in the person and their experience rather than focusing only on what they can do for you.
Key takeaways
Networking is about building professional relationships, not asking strangers to find you a job. Start with a clear goal and the people you already know, then use your university, alumni network, LinkedIn and employer events to widen your contacts gradually. Keep each request brief and relevant and ask for insight rather than expecting an interview or referral. Prepare well, listen carefully and follow up professionally. The way you communicate will affect whether people feel comfortable helping or recommending you.
Networking may lead to an introduction or opportunity, but it can also improve your knowledge, confidence and applications. It should therefore form one part of a wider job-search strategy that also includes direct applications, job boards, recruitment agencies and employer research.
Frequently asked questions
Is it acceptable to ask someone for a referral?
A referral is most appropriate when the person knows enough about you to judge whether you may suit the role. This could be a former manager, colleague, lecturer or contact who has seen your work. Avoid asking someone you have just met to recommend you. Instead, begin by asking for insight and allow the relationship to develop naturally. If a contact offers to refer you, provide the job details and any information they need. Make it easy for them to decide without placing them under pressure.
How many people should I contact when networking?
There is no ideal number of people to contact during a networking campaign. Start with a manageable group whose work relates to the roles, employers or topics you want to explore. Personalise each message and keep a simple record of when you contacted them and what you learned. A few useful conversations are better than sending the same request to many people. If few people reply, review whether your message is clear, relevant and easy to answer before approaching a wider group.
Should I network online or in person?
Both online and face-to-face networking can help your graduate job search. LinkedIn and email make it easy to find alumni, recruiters and people in your chosen field. Careers fairs, talks and small events can make it easier to start a natural conversation. Use the methods that suit your location, confidence and career goals. You do not need to attend every event or join every platform. A simple mix of online research, short messages and real conversations is often more useful than relying on one route.
How do I network if I am shy or introverted?
You do not need to be highly outgoing to network well. Start with one-to-one conversations, smaller events or people you already know. Prepare a short introduction and two or three questions before you speak to someone. This reduces the pressure to think of everything at once. Focus on listening carefully and showing real interest rather than trying to impress the other person. You can also begin online, where you have more time to write a clear message. Build confidence through a few manageable conversations instead of forcing yourself into large groups.
Should I tell my network that I am looking for work?
Yes, but explain your job search in a clear and useful way. Tell people which roles, sectors or locations you are exploring and what kind of help would be valuable. You might ask for insight into an employer, advice about a job title or an introduction to someone in the field. Avoid asking contacts to find you any available job. A specific request is easier to answer and places less pressure on the other person. Update helpful contacts if you act on their advice or make progress.
