The following information may be applied to a variety of networking settings. its original intent had been to provide guidance for economics majors, who are meeting with alumni or upper-level peers to practice and build networking skills. The suggestions below may also be used during office hours with employers, with some modifications to focus more on the jobs in which students may be interested. 

Small-Group Info Interviewing Practice Sessions:

The goals of the program are:

• to give students an opportunity to practice networking/informational interviewing skills in an informal environment with alumni who have been in your shoes.
• to connect you with professional alumni to build your network as you embark on your career/graduate school planning.

We recommend that you prepare some general questions to ask in your session. Use the alumni bios as a springboard for conversation. Be curious and ask appropriate professional questions. If you are in a group session, there will be several other students in the meeting, which will mirror virtual networking sessions (and possible group interviewing) you may encounter in the future. The stakes are low in this setting, but we encourage you to prepare by reviewing questions here and a few at the bottom of this email. (This link leads to all of the ECO’s professional development resources.)

Also, we recommend that you review your resume before the session and write up a 30-second pitch with the template below.  If you don’t have a resume, that is okay! It will be enough to prep your pitch. The pitch is a great launching point for discussions and your networking preparation in general. Over time you will begin to tailor it to different situations like career fairs or interviews.

Office Hours Process:

The goals of the program are:

• to provide you industry/job function/employer-specific information about your area of interest from alumni working in the area.
• to receive feedback on your preparation/professional materials.
• to practice speaking about yourself and asking work-related questions of professionals in the world of work.

What to Do on the Day of the Program:

• Arrive on time to your meeting location or Zoom room.
• Greet the alumnus and thank them for their time.
• For small group info sessions, the alumni have been asked to introduce themselves and share their backgrounds to start things off.
• For office hours, bring with you your goals for the meeting, which may be based on the list above. You may be asked to share your goals or something like, “How can I help you today?”
• Be prepared to speak about yourself using your resume as a guide or your elevator pitch.
• Be prepared to ask questions of the coach/alumnus/employer
• Tell your coach if you’d like your coach to provide feedback to you about your conversation, such as your non-verbals. (for formal ECO coachng programs)
• At the end of the conversation, thank the guest for participating. Ask for contact information for follow-up if appropriate.

***Remember, these meetings are meant to be informal professional conversations between students and alumni. For Econ structured coaching programs (M2M Career Fair, Alumni Career Coaching Day), the alumni will be there to help you improve your interpersonal skills. Although you may feel nervous, keep in mind this is an opportunity to make mistakes and practice before you are in more formal and higher stakes settings.

Sample Questions for Group Info Sessions or Office Hours. Visit this site for more. If you have just attended a panel, do not reiterate questions already asked; but, you may ask follow-up or clarifying questions.

• Why did you major in Economics?
• How relevant was your undergraduate education to your first job(s)?
• What types of industries were you interested in pursuing?
• What do you do in your job function?
• Why did you join the company/position that you are currently in or had in the past?
• How would you describe the company culture?
• How did you know if it was the right time to go to graduate school? Is there a right time?
• Given the current job market, what are your opinions on going to graduate school versus working full-time after graduation?
• What has it been like living in DC (or relevant location) as a young professional?
• How did you find your first apartment?
• When did you find your first job (before or after graduation?) What is typical in your field?
• What have been highlights and challenges in your career?
• Please describe your industry.
• How did you hear about your position or past internships you had in college?
• What advice would you have for an undergraduate looking for an internship or full-time job at this point in time?
• What is the recruiting schedule like in your industry/company?
• What types of industries can an Economics major work in? Are there industries that are easier/harder to break into than others? (for group sessions only)

Your Pitch Template:

I am a second-year at the University of Virginia, originally from __________ and I’m majoring (or pursing a major) in ________________________. I’m thinking about double majoring in_____________. I’m involved with __________________ and _______________and serve as the __________for ______________. Last summer I ______________and this summer I hope to ________________ (or this summer I am seeking) __________. I’m really interested in _______________and was thinking that maybe I could combine my interest in _____________ and _______________ to search for full-time work. I’m still in the research phase of all of this.