How does networking actually work for a fresher? (And no, I don’t mean asking strangers for jobs)
Hey everyone,
I keep hearing the advice that "networking is everything" when looking for a job, but to be honest, I'm confused about what that actually looks like in practice.
As a fresher starting out, my immediate assumption was: Do I just add random people on LinkedIn and ask them for a job/referral?
After thinking about it, that feels transactional and ineffective. But beyond that, I don't really know what networking actually is or how to do it properly.
Could someone break this down practically for me? Specifically:
- What actually IS networking? What is the real goal if it's not directly asking for a job?
- How do I reach out to people on LinkedIn without being annoying or sounding desperate?
- What do those conversations look like? (Are people actually open to doing informational interviews/coffee chats with freshers?)
- How do you keep a connection alive once you've talked to someone?
I'd really appreciate any step-by-step advice, personal experiences, or templates/script examples of what has worked for you when you were starting out.
Thanks in advance!