Networking for Marketing Research Professionals

“I don’t know anyone in the industry.” Neither did I. Neither did most of us. But we got in. Not by knowing people. But by getting known. Let’s break the illusion that networking = coffee chats. Because if you're a May 2025 grad (especially an international student)... Time’s ticking, anxiety’s rising, and sending 100 resumes isn't enough. You need visibility. You need credibility. You need a connection. Here are creative networking strategies most people don’t discuss—plus how to do them. 1. Create a “Missing Manual” for Your Dream Role Instead of sending a cold message, create something they’ve never seen. How to do it: Research a company/role you're interested in (e.g., Marketing Analyst at Spotify) Find what skills, tools, or challenges are core to the role Build a 1-pager called: “What I Wish I Knew Before Joining [Team Name]” Write tips, links, tools, or ideas for someone in that role Send it as: “Hi [Name], I created this as a learning tool while researching roles like yours. Thought you might enjoy it—or even improve it. Would love to hear what you think.” Why it works: You’re not asking for a job. You’re showing value. And curiosity. 2. Make a “Portfolio Video” Breakdown of a Brand or Campaign Especially helpful for roles in product, strategy, UX, or marketing. How to do it: Pick a brand you love (or want to work for) Study one campaign, product, or feature they launched Record a 2-minute video: What worked What could be better What you do differently Post it on LinkedIn or send it directly to an employee there This shows critical thinking and industry fluency, without asking anyone to hop on a call. Some grads landed interviews this way before applying. 3. Interview 3 People... Then, Publish a Mini Guide People LOVE being featured. Even more than being asked for advice. How to do it: Pick a topic you want to learn about (e.g., “Getting into Product without a CS Degree”) DM 3 professionals and say: “Hey [Name], I’m creating a short guide for students breaking into [field]. Would love to ask 3 questions via email—takes 5 minutes. Would you be open?” Compile responses into a clean Notion or Canva doc Share it on LinkedIn and tag everyone Bonus: it builds your brand and your network. 4. Drop a Handwritten Note (IRL or Digitally) In a world of AI, everything, handwriting stands out. How to do it: Go to a local event, info session, or talk Afterward, write a thank-you note with 1 thing you learned If it’s virtual, write the same note and scan it as a PDF Email it to the speaker Subject line: “One Thing You Said That Stuck With Me” Nobody forgets the person who sends paper or care. Final Thought: You don’t need to be the most experienced. Just the most intentional. Get known for being someone who shows up. Because in the end… Jobs come from people. People connect to stories. And your story? Deserves to be told. #May2025Grads #InternationalStudents #NetworkingTips #CreativeCareerMoves #JobSearchHelp

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗗𝗠 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿. 𝗜 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸. That it was only for extroverts, salespeople, or those who knew the “right” people. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The truth? LinkedIn changed my career more than any job board ever could. From landing internships to publishing research and breaking into power & energy, the biggest opportunities in my career didn’t come from job boards—they came from building the right connections. Yet, so many professionals hesitate to network strategically because they: * Feel awkward reaching out to strangers * Don’t know what to say in a cold DM * Fear getting ignored or rejected I get it—I used to be the same way. But once I started using LinkedIn the right way, I landed mentors, internships, and research opportunities that shaped my entire career. Here’s How You Can Do It Today: ✅ 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 * Look for professionals in your target field (engineers, hiring managers, senior leaders). * Use LinkedIn’s “People Also Viewed” section to find similar profiles. * Join industry groups to see who’s actively sharing insights. ✅ 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲 Forget “Hi, can I pick your brain?” That doesn’t work. Instead, try this: 💡 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗠 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲: “Hi [Name], I came across your profile while learning about [topic]. I admire your work on [specific project]. I’d love to hear your thoughts on [question]. Would you be open to a quick chat?” ✅ 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗗𝗠 * Like and comment on their posts genuinely * Share their work and add your insights * Make your name familiar before sending a message ✅ 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 People respond better when you bring something to the table: * Share an article or resource relevant to their work * Offer a fresh perspective on one of their posts * Ask a specific, thoughtful question instead of just “Can you help me?” The Outcome: I’ve used this exact strategy to build meaningful relationships that led to: ✔ Internship opportunities before I even applied ✔ Research collaborations that boosted my career ✔ Insights from industry leaders that I couldn’t find anywhere else If you’re not leveraging LinkedIn for strategic networking, you’re leaving opportunities on the table. 💡 Try this today: Pick ONE person you admire, craft a thoughtful DM, and hit send

In the spirit of growing capability, I recently launched a weekly join-up of LinkedIn market researchers and friends to grow together against several timely topics like- AI tools and use cases, data and insight synthesis, and contextual market and behavioral understanding. Our facilitators are external marketing and research professionals that I have had the pleasure to get to know through past jobs, conference attendance, and LinkedIn networking. Our first guest was Bonnie Chiurazzi who brings awesome client and vendor side insight. Two insights stuck out to me from her session 1. Research Evangelism- not only connect the dots on data and insights but also connect the credible voices who will help champion your research narrative. 7 voices are louder than one. 2. "If you stay synthesized, you don't have to get synthesized." Multi-source integration is constant, not a one time task. We are building narratives, not just research reports.