The Source: Beth Leslie

What Does Networking Mean To You?

I got my first internship, and job, through networking.

At UVA, I was a civil engineer and a part of the Society of Women Engineers. One of the women I met through there – her boyfriend at the time (now husband) was working for Whiting-Turner, a construction management company.

I knew after she graduated they moved to New Jersey, and I reached out. I didn’t know her well, but I sent an email saying “I understand your husband works at Whiting-Turner”, “Can he introduce me/send you my resume”.

Sure enough, that got me my first internship. It went well, turned into my first job, and kickstarted my career in the construction/real estate industry in the New York/New Jersey area.

Networking and making friends are not very different. It’s building relationships outside of your circle. Some of my best friends in the industry I made through networking. 

And when you’ve built a relationship with them outside of work, it makes working with them on professional things way easier.

What Advice Would You Give To Students?

Reach out to the recent grad. Find someone who’s going to be your peer when you enter the industry. 

When you go from being the new folks to having more senior roles, it’s a great feeling when you look around and see the people you built relationships with a decade ago.

Don’t overthink who to reach out to. You never know who’s going to know who. So you have to be creative with your networking – there shouldn’t be any “no, that person doesn't apply”. Everyone you reach out to is valuable.

Most people can spare 15-20 minutes for a conversation, and if you’ve got nothing else out of it than having a nice conversation and some practice networking, that’s great.

Finally, don’t just think about the info you want to receive from the conversation – think about what you want them to remember about you when it’s over. Networking isn’t just about gathering information, it’s about making a lasting impression.