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job search strategies << back to Job Search Strategies 1. About Job Searches 2. The Right Job Search Attitude 3. Know Your Needs 4. Evaluating An Offer 5. Networking 6. Resumes 7. Non-Profit Salaries 8. About Volunteer and Service Programs > networking
Social change work is people work. To find the right community-based job, one of the best strategies you can employ is to talk with as many people as possible. Use all of the information resources that you have at your disposal to the fullest. Talk to people and keep talking to people. Remember that people can't offer help or resources if they don't know what you're looking for. Staying involved in information interviews and networking will ensure that you continue to learn about new developments in your area of interest. Once people begin to refer you to folks you've already spoken with, you'll know you've begun to permeate that field or community. Professional Networks Figure out what kinds of networks exist for professionals who are doing the kind of work you'd like to do. Get in touch with local or national professional associations. Often professional groups have special membership rates for students or job seekers. Their newsletters, meetings and conferences can be invaluable ways to learn about new trends, projects and jobs. One way to find professional networks related to your field of interest is to visit the Issues section of this site and look for links under Networks. The American Society of Association Executives have a broad range of non-profit associations in their membership. Some are more related to Careers in the Common Good than others. The ASAE Gateway to Associations database lets you search by keyword for a listing of associations on the web. Yahoo's list of Professional Associations includes many organizations not involved in social change work, but can provide some useful leads. Action Without Borders provides links to over 10,000 non-profit organizations across the globe. The site includes a searchable database of job, volunteer and internship opportunities and search tools for finding non-profits in other countries. (back to top) Internet Resources Newsgroups
Usenet is a world-wide distributed discussion system. It consists of a set of "newsgroups" with names that are classified hierarchically by subject. "Articles" or "messages" are "posted" to these newsgroups by people on computers with the appropriate software -- these articles are then broadcast to other interconnected computer systems via a wide variety of networks. Check out Using Newsgroups In Your Job Search for more information. The College Grad Job Hunter web site also lists some useful usenet resources. Mailing Lists Mailing lists (or listservs, or discussion groups) are e-mail based interest groups. A mailing list subscriber sends an e-mail to a general address and it is sent to everyone else who subscribes to the list. If you want to respond you send a message back to the main address and it is sent to all the subscribers. In this way lots of professional organizations and other interest groups have e-mail discussions with interested people from across the globe. Publicly Accessible Mailing Lists is a directory of mailing lists organized by subject and by name. For example, under the subject listings there are 30-40 entries for "education". Click on one called "TESL-L" and get a description of the purpose of the list (for people interested in teaching English as a Second Language) and how to subscribe. Liszt, "the mailing list directory," is another user-friendly database of email lists and newsgroups. (back to top) Working with Alumni Most universities have extensive career services available through alumni relations. You may find that your school keeps a database of alumni who have offered to share their career experience through in-person or telephone information interviews. Using such a network sometimes requires persistence and resourcefulness - you may find that some contacts have moved or changed employers. The effort will be worth it if you encounter someone enthusiastic about sharing their experience with you. Contact your career services office to see what alumni networking resources they have. (back to top) Alternatives: Learning from people directly - through information interviews or casual networking - is a great way to build your knowledge of a field while making connections for your career. Brainstorm with friends, family, your university staff and anyone you know who's involved in the field to identify additional contacts. Consider joining professional associations or calling organizations directly. In addition to helping you gather career information, this kind of targeted networking can help you uncover possible job opportunities and tailor you job search to an organization's philosophy and needs. Some universities offer "Shadow Programs", which allow students to shadow a university-affiliated individual for a day at his or her work. This can be a great opportunity to learn from a professional in your field of interest, to observe a work environment, and to meet people throughout the organization. Contact your university's career services office to see if such a program is available through your school. Alternatives: If you can't find an "official" shadow contact that matches your interests, consider creating your own. Some contacts may hesitate if they feel the need to set up a full day of activities for you, so it is helpful to specify what you are interested in learning and to get a sense of the limitations of their schedule. There is no need to limit yourself to winter break. There are many great organizations in Providence that might host a "shadow" during the academic year. Alternatives: When thinking about ways to gain experience, don't limit yourself to established internship programs. Approach organizations that excite you to discuss internship possibilities. Almost every non-profit organization has a provision for interns, although many cannot pay them. (back to top) << back to Job Search Strategies |
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