I remember how daunting it was as a college student reaching out to someone I didn’t know to ask them about an opportunity. I am an extrovert and I still found it difficult. I can’t fathom how difficult it must be for our introverts. And here’s the thing, it never really gets easier. Even when I was in my mid-thirties looking for jobs I found it stressful, terrifying even.

Yet all you hear from people is Network, Network, Network. I remember being a student and thinking WTH? Yes, I have a lot of friends but I don’t have a lot of friends that are CEOs of companies that are going to hire me. How is networking going to help me do anything? How do I get a job if I don’t have a network? What do I say to some VIP of a company I want to work for?

Then something weird happens. All of the sudden you get someone’s name from a mentor, or a friend, or the uncle of your best-friend’s mom. And you have to reach out to them. What do you say? What do you you do?

Here is some important advice:

• Go to the Company Website and Read Everything: I mean everything. Read their whitepapers. Look at the datasheets. Try to get an understanding of where the business has been and where is going.
• Look the person up on LinkedIn: Do a google search on the person or look them up on LinkedIn. What have they done in their career? Who are they as a person?
• MOST IMPORTANT – When you contact the person show genuine enthusiasm! Genuine enthusiasm on the projects or equipment the company has, the person, or the field the company works in. You should be eager. Almost too eager.
• Hit the Sweet Spot! You need to put yourself out there, so you need to contact people. However, you don’t want to conduct too many people. You need to do research and that takes time. At the same time, if you have spent a couple of hours researching a company its time to reach out to them and move on.
• You Don’t have to be Perfect! Just show that you are eager to learn and you will work hard.