By Megan Dausch, CSP Mentor
Have you ever heard the expression, “It’s not what you know, but who you know?” While having skills and experience in your chosen career path is critical, finding a job often comes down to networking. Networks are all around us, from our school to our parents’ friends to the Internet. Using your current network and pushing yourself to develop new connections can lead you to finding important career opportunities and interests you may never have discovered. Broadening your network can be the most challenging part of the job exploration process, especially if you’re a relatively shy person.
How Do You Social Network?
In recent years, the proliferation of the Internet has made it much easier to network. Social networking websites such as LinkedIn and Facebook allow people to connect in new ways around their interests. As of this writing, social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn are accessible with screen-readers, though if you feel overwhelmed by the amount of links and content you might prefer to use these apps on your phone or the mobile version of these sites. LinkedIn allows you to build a profile based on job experience, strengths and career interests. It also allows you to find people who have similar skill sets or employers seeking skill sets which are similar to your interest and experience. You can search for people in your industry and request to add them to your network. When you add a person or business, it is always a good idea to make sure you have chosen the right one. Usually, sighted people can quickly identify the person they want to add by looking at the picture associated with the profile. Because so many people share the same name, it is not always possible to be sure you are adding the right person without knowing some more information. Consider pausing a moment before you choose the “add button.” Try seeing if the person’s profile has any information on it that can confirm for you whether you are choosing the person you mean to add. You might look for information about where they live, what their job is, or where they attend school. If you still can not verify that this is the person you want to add, you might try sending them a message to confirm their identity or asking a sighted friend or family member or a mutual contact in your network. You are then able to communicate with the people you add. This can be a great opportunity to ask questions, develop relationships and learn more about an industry that interests you. Even if you don’t have any work experience, don’t be afraid to create a profile on a professional network such as LinkedIn. Fill out your profile as fully as you can with your interests and skills. You may be surprised to discover how many skills your extra-curricular experience has given you in college. Your LinkedIn profile will grow right along with you.
Things To Consider Before Getting Started with Social Networking
Social networking is not without caveats, however. While there are many advantages to social networking, it is important to use caution. Remember, whatever information you put on a social network such as LinkedIn or Facebook has the potential to be publicly available, depending upon your privacy settings. Even if your settings are restricted, well-meaning friends can still share information you wish they hadn’t. Before placing any information on a website, think carefully about whether you’re comfortable sharing that information with your network, and potentially people outside of your approved network. Think about not only what you are doing in the pictures that you or friends post, but also whether you are comfortable with your disability potentially being evident from pictures and postings. Is your guide dog or cane visible in the picture your friend just posted of her dinner party? You might refer to your blindness without thinking about it in a Facebook update, but would you be comfortable with an employer reading it before you went in to an interview? Future employers and others in your network may notice that you are blind from your social media presence. Make sure you are comfortable with others knowing this about you, otherwise, you may be disclosing your disability before you are ready. It’s important to always use caution. Practice safe Internet habits, such as not giving out personally identifiable information. Furthermore, think carefully about the image you portray on social media. Remember, employers may have access to whatever you post, so make sure that your posts, and posts your friends tag you in or write about you, are posts you are comfortable having others see. You’ve probably heard stories about employers firing people for making inappropriate comments on Facebook. Your social media accounts can affect your job search as well. Just as it is good practice for you to Google your potential employer so you can find out more about them and ask well-thought out questions, so too will your interviewer likely try to locate you online to find out more about you than your resume shows.
Advantages of Social Networking
As long as you are careful, social media can give you the opportunity to showcase what you have done and share your talents. If you’ve written articles for your college’s newspaper, for example, post those on your social media pages so that your friends and perspective employers can see your writing. Here to you may want to consider what the article about “campus” accessibility might inadvertently disclose about you to a future employer. Did you win an award for science or math? Consider posting about it. Your friends may choose to share, and perhaps through those shares you’ll make a connection that will lead to a potential job. It’s not just about showcasing what you’ve done and hoping your friends will share it. Use networks like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to like and follow your potential employers. Share their posts if you think they are interesting. That will show them that you’re interested in their company. If you’re looking for a job, post about it on your social media feed. You never know who one of your friends might know.
As a social media user who is blind, you may have access to information that would be unavailable otherwise, such as information about local events that is only posted in a printed format, or making connections with others who live both near and far. You can also use social media to connect with other blind students—why not check out the CSP’s Facebook group? Whether you are blind or sighted, social media treats everyone equally. Social media can be a tool to help you make positive connections no matter who you are—just make sure you are comfortable with what social media websites contain about you.
Talk About Your Skills Online and Offline
While you can quickly build up your network by posting on Facebook and LinkedIn and Twitter, and interacting with people you know around your interests, don’t let your offline network lapse. Talk to your teachers, friends, and parents’ friends about what you are interested in doing. If you don’t quite know, talk about your skills and perhaps they might have ideas for you or know someone who does. Often just by talking to a few people, you’ll be able to expand your network by the contacts they provide. You might think you don’t have a network if you don’t have thousands of twitter followers or an enormous circle of friends, but if there are just a few people who you can reach out to, they can help grow your network exponentially.
Your college offers another way to expand your network. Usually a college will have a career center. You may even be required to visit that office before you graduate. Instead of ticking it off your to-do list, think of it as an opportunity. When you sit down with a career counselor, he or she will probably offer you suggestions to enhance your resume. Career counselors may also offer you a chance to be part of a jobs board or other registry that the school offers. When you graduate, consider staying in touch with your school. The alumni office may allow you to keep in touch through newsletters and online groups.
Another important resource at your disposal is your vocational rehabilitation counselor. It is important to let your counselor know that you are interested in obtaining a job. Send along a copy of your resume, if they don’t already have it on file. In our experience, we have found that keeping in regular contact with your VR agency pays off in the long run, because while they can and do help anyone, VR counselors are typically most interested in helping students they know well. Your VR councilor may refer you to other agencies that can help build up your network.
Networking is an important part of the job search process. It can help you find a job you enjoy and also help you discover new opportunities. You can make new contacts and friends along the way. Putting in the work to build and maintain your network can be challenging but you must continue to invest in yourself throughout your career.
Like this article? Check out these others:
The Job Search: Gathering Information About Job Options
Highlighting Your Abilities: Talking to Prospective Employers About Blindness or Low Vision
Envision’s College Success Program (CSP), a part of the William L. Hudson BVI Workforce Innovation Center, is committed to serving college and transitioning high school students who are blind or low vision. The CSP is a virtual program that provides a holistic support system and engages students through online resources, events, mentorship, and more, all at no cost to them. Contact the CSP at csp@envisionus.com.