• Life After College in Detroit • Important, ut who yo now may get you the job. JULIE WEINGARDEN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS B afore you mail your resume en masse to every chief ex- ecutive officer in the Detroit metropolitan area, know that a little human interaction may put you ahead of the compe- tition. It's called networking. Simply defined: Making contacts and ex- changing information to further your career. More people who know you means more people who can help you: to the salary, bene- fits and 401k package that you want. "If you are in a hiring position, who would you want to hire — someone you know [something about]," perhaps even how they work, or a stranger? asks Walter Tarrow, corporate consultant of the corporate opportunities pro- gram at Jewish Vocational Ser- vice. Most people would probably fa- vor the person they know (as- suming he comes with the appropriate qualifications and competency). So how do the people you know —be it family, friends or parents' acquaintances — become famil- iar with your work? That's where networking comes in. "An artificial concept of people forcing themselves on [each] other and handing out their busi- ness cards saying If you hear of anything ...' is not networking," says Tarrow. 'That's prospecting. Networking is not meeting peo- ple for no apparent reason, the wrong reason or a hidden reason; you have to have a clear purpose for a network contact to be made." You can network for advice, mentoring and counseling, not just to find a job, advises Steven Stone, president of Boulder Financial in Bingham Farms. "Some people think network- ing is schmoozing with people and knowing everyone, but it's actu- Work at a rustic Alaskan Lodge ... right in your neighborhood. Caribou Coffee Company is now hiring for our nine Detroit locations! Our part-time and full-time Team Members get great medical/dental benefits, wages up to S8 per hour — and the ideal uniform: jeans and a t-shirt! Renee Cherrin Erlich ally about building relationships," he says. Networking can also provide different opinions. "Your family and friends may not have the best advice for your professional fu- ture," says Stone. "Networking helps you get advice from people who have fewer biases." Still, making cold calls or work- ing a room can be intimidating. "I think college graduates are afraid of rejection," says Bob Raitt, an at- torney with Gursten & Koltonow, P.C., in Southfield. "This is an area of trying to advance in life where, if you are a little cocky and try to take the edge off, it will help." Building new relationships means moving out of your comfort zone, says Stone. "A 22-year-old comes out of a fraternity and all of a sudden finds himself talking to presidents of companies. It scares them, but they should be trying to seek advice. There is no such thing as a stupid question." Women tend to have a harder time stepping out of that comfort zone, says Arlene Frank, program coordinator of the Womencenter at Oakland Community College's Orchard Ridge Campus. 'Tradi- tionally it's harder for women to be assertive in networking. Soci- ety expects women to speak with softer voices and sees women with Our managers receive stock options — we want you to share in the company you are building! loud voices as aggressive, when they are actually being just as as- sertive as men." If you can push past the fear, you can strike a common bond. Perhaps the person sitting next to you on that plane ride enjoys soccer or bird watching. Learn- ing of similar interests gives you something to talk about — and could lead to more serious dis- cussions. "Don't think of it as job hunt- ing — you are farming," says Tar- row. "You are cultivating these relationships, and then you har- vest. You are not hunting where you stalk your prey." If you've had internships or other work experience in your field, then chances are you're al- ready on a networking path. Keeping in touch with those peo- ple will help you learn about op- portunities. It's also a good idea to join pro- fessional organizations and at- tend conferences. Getting involved in academic and social organizations also expose you to professionals in your prospective field. Raitt says volunteering time to charitable organizations is an- other way to meet people. "Net- working is like pretending you WORKING page 59 And promotions are based on how WELL you work at Caribou Coffee, not how LONG! So if you want to work hard in a great, casual environment, attend our Open Houses: Thursday June 12, 6:00pm - 8:00pm, 3627 West Maple Road. Bloomfield Township 594.0952 Tuesday June 17th, 4:00pm - 6:00pm, 6915 Orchard Lake Road. West Bloomfield 737.1600 1 .1300.80U.H IRE www.caribou-caffee.com. 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