Why Networking Sucks

Your average Comm kid knows if you want an internship, it’s all about who you know.

So you set up LinkedIn and begin racking up connections. 500+ and you’re golden, right? Wrong. Once you figure out you actually need to interact with them beyond “Connect,” you learn about networking.

You send out 100 cold emails, and maybe one hits. You want a referral, a job, a golden ticket to the CEO’s office, but you can’t just get on the phone and ask for it. So what do you do? 

You network. You play the game. You meet people, build relationships, and hope when an opportunity opens up, you’re the person they think of.

And it doesn’t end here. Want the return offer at the end of the summer? Work hard, sure, but you have to network. You don’t want to get beat out by John who spent more time at happy hour than grinding Excel.

Even with the job, this holds true. If you get laid off, move to France, or shift careers, the best tool in your chest will be your network.

While it sucks now, it gets easier over time. The more practice you get, the better you’ll be, and the less it’ll feel like a chore.

Ultimately, networking is just talking to people, but no one really teaches you how to do it in a way that lasts.

That’s why I created Hoo You Know – a weekly newsletter breaking down how to build meaningful professional relationships, with insights from alumni, students, and professionals on what actually works.

Hopefully, you’ll find it useful and engaging. If you have questions or ideas, let me know at [email protected]. I’d love your input (or criticism) to make this better.

Onwards and upwards.

- Ryan