Networking with Intention

A few weeks ago, I connected with a recruiter who works for one of the companies I worked with during one of my internships this past school year. My previous manager had recommended that I connect with her and mentioned that she would be a great person to get to know, learn from, and utilize some of her knowledge within the recruiting and job industry.

For a little background, both companies, the one I interned for in November and the company she works for, share the same office space. Anytime I was there working during my internship, I would usually pass by some of the ladies’ desks, chat it up for a few minutes, ask them how their day was, and compliment them on some of their cute outfits. They were always super kind, smiley, inviting, warm, and welcoming. While our interactions or moments shared were never much, I knew their faces, and they knew mine. Impressions were left.

For me, I feel like some people either view me or my personality as a lot or too energetic, while others really appreciate it. Those ladies were always some of those people who I felt genuinely appreciated my energy and excitement. I appreciate that so much because it makes me feel like my personality isn't too much.

Fast forward to now, I reached out to her on LinkedIn because I wanted to connect with her and get a better understand for what I might be up against as I look for a post-grad job. She was a journalism student here at Mizzou as well, and had previously held roles at companies in town that really interested me. I wanted to connect with her for some advice she might be able to offer me, and to hear from a recruiter’s perspective what the job search is really like, especially as a senior in college like me who is just starting out.

From that conversation I had with her, I feel like I learned so much not only about her job as a recruiter, but also her perspective as a recruiter and what she looks for in people she hires for the niche roles she fills for companies. I felt like she shared such a great perspective that has now helped me to better approach people who potentially might work for comapnies id love to work for as well. She shared a more behind-the-scenes look into what recuirters jobs look like when jobs are posted, what their perspective looks like throughout the application and hiring process, especially when they're getting hundreds of emails a day from people sharing "that they just applied for the role posted and would love to be considered for an interview". I learned about the purpose and the specific need their company fulfills for other people and businesses. You might not always realize or fully understand it, but something I realized is that there is always a need for something, no matter how crazy or niche it might sound. There are always people who could use the idea or problem you're trying to solve, and there is always a way to create or do something that might be a little unique or different. You might think nobody will buy it, but by creating a service or product that people might not even realize they need, you could potentially show people that they do, and do amazing thing with it.

She and I also talked a lot about networking and making connections, specifically from her point of view as a recruiter, and what people are doing to try to set themselves apart from other candidates when a job is posted.

You might think that messaging the hiring manager directly is the best move, and of course it can be great and potentially helpful, and it definitely doesn’t hurt. But the power of one employee walking ten steps over to a hiring manager and saying, “Hey, I know ___ from college who just applied for this role. I think they would be a great fit for the position and thrive here at the company,” can take you much farther than a hiring manager sorting through your message along with 100 others.

The people you have relationships with and/or some type of connection with will take you much farther than a quick email or LinkedIn message.

Now the point: connections can help place you one step ahead of the game in a pool of many players. It’s important to reach out to people who might potentially help you in the future. But when does “networking” or “connecting” with people become a motive that only feeds our egos or our own needs? When does it turn into benefiting just ourselves, only connecting with people to get ahead or potentially land a job down the line?

Now, I might be thinking too deeply into this. However, during our meeting, I had a moment where we were talking, and she said something that isn’t out of the ordinary, but it stuck with me: “Connect with people who interest you, people whose jobs you’d love to have.”

Of course, networking and connecting should help to benefit our futures. But it really made me rethink, personally, the purpose and reasoning behind why I want to chat or connect with people. On a deeper level, because you know I like to go there, what is the purpose behind my reaching out to connect with others whose jobs don't really interest or inspire me?

The conversation sparked something for me. It made me think and realize that I need to be more intentional about who I’m speaking to. Life is full of learning lessons, and I believe that every person you come in contact with is there for a purpose in some cases, to teach you something new.

Moving forward, I'm aiming to really be more intentional when reaching out to those who inspire me. When I see someone on Instagram or LinkedIn whose post was liked or commented on by one of my connections, I want to be mindful of how I engage with their content or with them as a person.

Maybe it’s the TikTok they just posted that made me stop and watch for longer than 15 seconds. Why? What got me? What did they say or how did they say it? Maybe it’s a company I saw through my favorite influencer. Maybe it's someone I found on LinkedIn from one of my connections, liking the post that further led me to do a little digging on them, and learning to discover that they work at one of the largest talent management companies in influencer strategy. Or maybe it’s someone whom I discovered through the media that has literally done it all when it comes to brand, community, events, or PR, and I’m just so dang impressed. I want to ask myself what moved me to stop, scroll back, and engage with that content in that moment.

Whatever it is that inspires or motivates me to reach out to someone, I want to make sure I’m understanding and being intentional about the reasoning behind why I want to talk to them. I want to put purpose and proactivity into the outreach and in any potential conversation.

While I know this might seem like a bit of a loaded piece of my mind, I feel like it has shifted my perspective while being on the job search. It’s made me take a step back and think more deeply about my life and what I truly want, who I want to be, and what traits I want to mirror from the people who inspire me. Looking at what energizes others and what they’ve accomplished throughout their careers helps me see that people can create jobs they love and roles that genuinely energize them.

I think as college students or even just as humans, we are sometimes conditioned to settle for the bare minimum. We’re told to be “thankful” just for getting the job, or we hear comments like, “Well, it’s a job.” But in reality, we dread going into the office every day of the week. We're not fulfilled by working in a role that doesn’t give us purpose, push us to grow, connect us with others, or inspire us. Why do we settle? And yes, I know that’s easier said than done, especially as a freshly graduated or eager senior who’s young and doesn’t yet have a whole lot of responsibility. But it’s still true. If you believe you’re meant for something more, then go find it.

I truly believe that I’m someone who will do great work for a brand, a person, a company, an organization, you name it, I do. So why settle?

We shouldn’t.

Your "RI Take" advice to take away from today’s blog is this: shoot your shot. Message and reach out to someone who inspires you. Tell yourself that you are meant for great things. That you can accomplish milestones you once thought you couldn't. Because you are worthy of great things and great jobs. If you’re also in the phase I’m in, where you have a sense of

where you want to go, but you also kind of don’t, this is your sign. Learn from others who inspire you, because you truly never know where it might lead or what doors it could potentially open for your future.