Despite all the online platforms like LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Indeed, sometimes the best way to find a job is word of mouth. There is a saying “It’s who you know, not what you know.” You’re in high school, how many people can you possibly know? Well, you are in the right place! This article has the networking tips that will help you build professional relationships. And help connect you to the people who can help you uncover great job opportunities, and eventually get your first job.
If you are in high school and looking to get a full-time job instead of going to college, I think these tips will really help. Spending some time meeting a bunch of different adults with different kinds of jobs is a great way to figure out what you want to do. And to learn about jobs that have income potential that is higher than minimum wage.
Now, don’t get frustrated. Maybe you think you aren’t well connected. Maybe you’ve recently moved to a new city and you don’t know many people yet. Maybe your parents don’t even speak English! It’s ok. You are clearly a highly motivated student who is researching this topic because you are reading this blog! You are way ahead of most college students!
Just take it one person at a time.
I am going to give you actionable ideas. But that’s the hook. They are going to require you to take action. These steps may take you out of your comfort zone but in the end, they will pay off with a better-paying job.
What is Networking?
The term may sound weird or scary but it’s simply about meeting people. It’s about taking action and going through the process to meet new people. To talk to them, exchange ideas, ask questions, and make connections for future social or professional interactions. This can happen in person and online.
You probably meet people every day. Now, your intention shifts. You might have a current goal of finding a new job. Or you might meet someone today that you can help find a new job in the future! Lots of people are trying to build a professional network. And only the rock stars like yourself start this process in high school! Yay you! Seriously!
Why Should I Start Networking?
Why not? My guess is you are looking for a job. Or thinking about looking for a job. That is typically when people dial up their networking efforts. It’s also something you can do all throughout your career. Lots of jobs are never posted anywhere. People fill the jobs through their own professional and personal networks. They tell people in their network that they are hiring. They spread the word and find candidates through the people they know.
I really didn’t start the process until I was in college but wow, did it pay off!
St. Louis Cardinals. One of my best friends got an unpaid internship with the St. Louis Cardinals. Then they hired him in an entry-level paid position working in office administration. He helped me get a job as a receptionist and customer service representative without even having to interview for the job!
I started working there in my sophomore year of college. I worked in promotions, sales and administration. By the time I turned 30, I had worked there for 10 years! All because of my friend. (That’s networking!)
Charter Communications (Spectrum). When I was ready to move on from the Cardinals, I was volunteering for a charity auction. I asked a woman on the auction committee to look at my resume. She was a bigwig in marketing. It turned out she had an open position at the cable company, and after a few months of interviewing, I got the job! (Apparently, I was networking!)
AVALA Marketing. A few years later I was looking to leave the cable company to go work for a marketing agency. A friend of mine connected me with a former co-worker of hers and that guy hired me! (Still examples of networking!)
Maritz. When I was ready to leave the agency, I told some friends I was looking for a new job. One of my college roommates was moving to a different role in her company and she suggested I interview for her old job. I got it! (Looks like that dumpy college apartment paid off and I was actually networking!)
Reliv International. Then, a few years later, that company hit hard times and my job was eliminated. I had lunch with a former co-worker and told him what I was looking for. He connected me with his former co-worker, who hired me! (You get the idea now, right?)
All of those jobs came through networking! They came from my own efforts to meet people, and you can too. So, that’s why I want to teach you how to do this! Before you get started, here are a couple of tips before the tips:
Find your courage. Dig deep and find your courage. It can be hard to ask for help. But I bet everyone says yes and tries to find some way they can help you.
Stay positive. You have to keep a positive attitude. No one wants to meet with you to hear about how hard the process is.
Be prepared. Even if you are more shy and not an extrovert, using my ideas and being prepared will give you confidence.
You may not work on this process every single day. You will likely set aside time each week or each month to dedicate to your networking efforts. That’s ok too!
8 Networking Tips for High School Students
So, what exactly do you need to do to start networking?
1. Create a LinkedIn Profile
First, I suggest you create a LinkedIn Profile. Especially if you are shy. LinkedIn gives you the platform to meet people online which can be less intimidating than meeting people in real life. I am guessing many high school students will feel much more comfortable making new connections via LinkedIn on their phones than in person in a coffee shop.
This will be much easier if you have already created your first resume. I have a full article with many tips on how to create your LinkedIn account. This will serve as your networking hub. As you meet new people you will want to connect with them on LinkedIn.
2. Start a List of Potential Connections
Before you send connection requests on LinkedIn, I would start a separate list of people you want to connect with. As you work through the list, search and connect, you can check them off and keep track.
This list does not just exist in your head. Write them down. Start a Google doc or a spreadsheet. Start your list.
I say start a list of people because this list is going to change over time. All throughout your life you can add people to it. As you get older, your interests may change, so you will want to connect with different kinds of people.
Start with your family members. Go beyond your parents. Think about aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. If they are working, they may be on LinkedIn.
Ask your friends. This should be easy! Encourage them to get on LinkedIn so you can connect there. (You might also encourage your friends to read this blog!)
The parents of your friends. Hopefully, this is an easy group too. You may have never paid attention to what kinds of jobs your friends’ parents have. Now is the time to ask!
Ask teachers, counselors, and coaches. The average person has over 300 Facebook friends. That probably includes your teachers! So, tell your teachers that you are trying to start networking now. When they say yes, be sure to follow up with the actual connection request.
The friends of your parents. You never know who may be a good connection. Maybe one of your parents’ friends owns their own business. Or they might work in a company you would like to work for. It’s worth asking.
Connect with me! If you send me a LinkedIn request with a personal note that you read my blog, I will connect with you. I have well over 900 professional connections. If there is someone in my network you want to meet, I will introduce you. That’s how this works!
3. Connect on LinkedIn
An easy way to start building your network is to connect on LinkedIn. Just log in and type in names from your list into the search bar at the top. Click their name to view their profile to make sure it’s the right person. Then click the blue “connect” button. A pop-up window will appear asking if you would like to add a personal note.
I always suggest adding a personal note. Make this a habit from day one. It shows people that you are the kind of person that makes the extra effort. That’s the kind of person people want to hire! And if you are asking to connect with people you haven’t met, your personal note may help.
4. Interact with People on LinkedIn
Download the LinkedIn app to your phone so you can add this to your scrolling schedule each day. Once you have connected with people on LinkedIn, you will start to see posts in your news feed. This works kind of like Instagram where you scroll through posts from your connections.
The cool thing here is that sometimes people will post jobs on their feeds. This is one other way you may find out about a possible job.
People will also post updates about their company, share articles, volunteer activity, and all kinds of things. Just like Instagram, you can like posts and make comments. This is an easy way to stay connected.
You don’t have to like or comment on every post. Just like your other social media platforms, you need to be real. Be genuine and authentic. But you know how it feels when people like your posts, right? You might feel seen or uplifted. That also works on LinkedIn.
Your interactions are helping to build connections so that in the future, when they are hiring, or you need their help, you have some sort of relationship built up. And this relationship goes both ways. Maybe someday your connections might ask for your help!
5. Ask for an Informational Interview
One common purpose of a networking meeting is the informational interview. This takes a little more courage than a simple LinkedIn connection request. You are asking people to take the time to meet with you. This is simply a conversation where you ask questions about their career, their background, their job search tips, etc. Ask for advice and job search tips. I think these work best in person if the person is local. But video calls on platforms like Zoom, or Teams also work.
An informational interview has a lot less pressure than a regular job interview. For both people. They are not interviewing you for a job and you don’t have the pressure of trying to impress them. You are just two people talking.
You will save this request for the people in your new network who work in a job that you are interested in. Or, they work for a company you want to learn more about. Or, they are very successful and you would like their advice. Or, they can introduce you to people you want to meet.
You don’t have to be nervous. I have found that people really want to help. All you need to do is ask. LinkedIn has a messaging tool inside the platform that makes this really easy. Here are a couple of ways you could spin your request:
“I am trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. So, I am connecting with people who have cool, interesting jobs. I would love to learn more about what you do. Would you like to meet me for coffee sometime for an informational interview? Maybe 30-45 minutes?”
“I am hoping to go to school for business and marketing. I would like to learn more about the different kinds of jobs out there and yours sounds interesting. Would you like to meet me for coffee sometime? Maybe 30-45 minutes? I can come to your neighborhood.”
Once they say yes, here are a few more tips on how to proceed:
Be clear on the exact date, time and location.
Exchange cell phone numbers in case anything either of you need to cancel.
Confirm the meeting via email or text. If they don’t confirm, you may have to actually make a phone call! You don’t want to waste time showing up if they have a conflict.
Show up 10-15 minutes early.
Buy your coffee ahead of time. That way they don’t expect you to buy theirs and they don’t have to offer to pay for yours.
Bring a pen and pad of paper or your laptop to take notes on their advice.
Don’t eat during the meeting. If you are hungry, eat before or after the meeting. You won’t be able to pay attention or take notes while you eat.
Before you meet, I would prepare a short list of questions to ask them in case the conversation does not flow. Things like:
What was your first job in high school?
What did you study in college?
How did you end up in [their job/industry]
Tell me about internships and entry-level jobs in your department/company.
What advice do you have for me in finding a job, or figuring out what I want to do?
Use this time to learn more about their job, their field, and their company. Any of these may help you figure out your future career. This type of conversation can help you see what you want to do with your life. You can also rule out jobs that sound boring or uninteresting to you. There are so many different kinds of jobs out there, you have no idea! This is one way to learn more about them!
If you want to keep the process moving, ask each new person you meet to suggest one or two people in their network they think you should meet. Any of these people may end up being your future employers.
If you do this, YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW UP! Do not ask, if you are too busy to follow up! Do not ask if you are too scared to reach out to a stranger! Here’s how you might word the request:
“I recently met Chris Scherting and she suggested I reach out to you. I am looking to expand my professional contacts and learn more about the business world. Would you be interested in meeting for an informational interview in the coming weeks?”
The last step is to send a quick thank you. I prefer these to be emailed, not text. It’s a courtesy. But a text is better than nothing. They just gave you 30-45 minutes of their personal time. Please thank them!
“Thank you so much for your time today. I really enjoyed learning about [whatever you talked about]. Thank you also for referring me to [Name of the person]. I have already reached out to them. If I can ever return the favor, please let me know. Thanks, [Your name].”
6. Order Business Cards
If you have the courage to start meeting people in person one-on-one, I would suggest you order some business cards. I know this may sound old-fashioned. There are digital options out there too. And you are in high school, funds may be limited, I get that.
But if you are serious about making new connections and plan to put a lot of effort into this step, order the business cards. When you venture out into the professional world, handing someone your business card will build your confidence and make a great first impression. This also makes it easier for them to contact you with potential employment opportunities.
There are lots of sites where you can order online. These sites come with many design templates that are easy to customize. Some places have same-day pick up.
7. Attend Networking Events
Yes, I know this one sounds super intimidating! It is to me too! So, before you skip this paragraph, hear me out. Schools, companies, and organizations host various events to help employers find strong candidates. And to help young professionals, recent graduates, and young people find future opportunities and explore potential career paths.
The events are designed to help everyone build mutually beneficial relationships. Employers have a genuine interest in meeting you. It’s a perfect environment to practice your networking skills.
School career fairs. Check-in with your guidance counselor and college counselors to see if any job fairs or career events are planned for the school year. Don’t go alone! Convince your fellow students to go with you!
Local community college events. Research local junior colleges and community colleges' event schedules. They may be holding hiring events open to the public.
Local job fairs. Do a Google search for “job fairs [city name]” online to find events in your area. Some will be hosted through platforms like Eventbrite and will require you to pre-register online.
Professional associations. Again, this will take some research online to identify professional associations that might interest you. I have attended local events through the American Marketing Association and have met job seekers looking for new opportunities. Some of these may require a fee to attend.
8. Prepare Your Elevator Pitch
This is a 30 to 60-second introduction of yourself and a summary of what makes you different and better from everyone else. What makes you interesting? It might be your unique combination of volunteer work, extracurricular activities, and school projects. Maybe you already have some work experience that sets you apart.
Preparing a strong elevator pitch will help you make a good impression on anyone you meet during your job hunting and networking. Here are a few starter ideas:
My name is [name] and I am a student at [high school]
I’ve been taking elective courses in business/science/art/your favorite, and I am really excited to talk to people for career advice in this area. I am planning to find a full-time job in this field before high school graduation. It would be awesome if I could find a related part-time job now or even an internship.
I’ve been working in my family’s restaurant since I was 14. I know all about the meal service process, food preparation, inventory, janitorial work, and maintenance. I am looking for a high school internship that might give me more business experience.
I’ve been a lifeguard at ABC pool for three years and I have a 4.0 in all of my science courses. I am hoping to study microbiology in college but right now I am looking to find a job working in a doctor’s office or urgent care or related internship opportunities.
You can do this!
I know this advice may be pushing you out of your comfort zone but you can do this! It’s hard to know what opportunities are out there from your view as a high school student. You don’t have to be limited to what you see now.
The networking process is all about meeting different kinds of people with all kinds of jobs. Practice your communication skills. Make personal connections and add new contacts. Explore your potential career path.
Your dream job may be something you didn’t even know exists! Stay with me! Read my blogs and I will help you see what is possible. I want to help you find your dream job so you can have an awesome life!
