THE SECOND STEP is to decide what your purpose is in contacting your network and this depends on the stage at which you are in planning your career. In other words, what are you hoping to gain by meeting with these networking contacts? For example, if you are in the early stage of career planning and you are exploring majors or career directions, then your purpose is to gather information about jobs and careers of interest to you. This will include information about job duties, educational preparation, future growth in the field, and recommended work experience.
- If you are in the later stage of career planning and you are conducting a job search for either full-time or co-op/internship positions, then your purpose is to obtain advice on how to conduct your job search and to get job leads. This will include specific information about employers in your field, descriptions of various work environments, hiring strategies, preferred qualifications, and referrals to employers who have openings. Of course, too, these purposes are not exclusive and you may be seeking both information and advice on your job search from your networking contacts, especially if you are looking for your first experience in the field as a co-op/intern.
