Networking - Real world and online

Months before I officially started my MBA I had lunch with a fellow co-worker who was a mentor to me. He had gone to M.I.T. for his MBA and I really respected his opinion on career related matters. I asked him what his best advice for me would be and I'll never forget his words - "Don't kill yourself over the books, get out there and meet as many people as you can. Its all about getting a JOB..." That statement had a profound impact on me while at Kogod and drove me to network beyond the norm. During these last 2 years I've spent more time outside of the classroom than probably should be allowed. Don't get me wrong, I love the professors at AU, but because I was so willing and accepting of networking opportunities I benefited greatly by scoring 2 internships, visiting execs of fortune 100 companies, and being affiliated with a major non profit IT organization.

How was I able to gain all of these valuable experiences? Networking - both in real life and online. Merging these two worlds is the real key to success. For example, after I met a professional in my field of interest, I connected with them on Linked-In the next day for reinforcement. This way they can see my work experience and related info and get a better feel for who I am. I also send notes regularly to certain folks through Linked-In and actually get meaningful responses. Folks who haven't jumped on the Linked-In bandwagon need to take notice. It's becoming the preferred platform for job seekers and employers as mentioned in this Mashable article "How to Get the Most Out of Linked-In." As I stare down graduation with 3 months to go, its been a comforting and useful tool in my job search. At this point, if you're not on there and you're in this MBA program I pray you have a great Rolodex.