Networking for Marketing Students

7 ways students can message their target people (e.g., alumni) without connecting on LI or buying LI Premium: Networking with alumni, recruiters, and industry professionals is one of the highest-ROI activities students can engage in while in college. But LI limits non-Premium users (i.e., most students) to 5 connection notes per month, making outreach harder. Here’s how students I work with bypass this limit (without paying for Premium): 𝟭. 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀 Some Premium users enable “Open Profile,” allowing anyone to DM them without connecting. Simply click “Message” on your target person's profile — if it says "Free message," you’re good to go. 𝟮. 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗠𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 If you share a mutual connection with your target person, ask for an intro. The mutual connection can add you both to a group chat on LI, where you can continue the conversation without connecting. Find mutuals in People Search or under “Mutual connections” on their profile. 𝟯. 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘀 You can DM anyone inside the Groups you are in. Scroll down to your target profile's Groups section, join one they are a part of, and search their name inside the group to send a DM. Since you can only search by name inside a group, identify your target profiles beforehand. 𝟰. 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 If your target person posts content, engage with their posts before reaching out. React, comment, and repost a few times to build familiarity. When they recognize your name, they’re more likely to accept your connection request (even without a note). The marketing rule of 7 applies here: multiple touchpoints build trust. 𝟱. 𝗘𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 Most people check their email more often than their LinkedIn DMs. Some organizations (e.g., universities, non-profits, smaller companies) might list their employees' emails on staff pages. If not, tools like Hunter.io can help you find email patterns. Once you get the format, you can apply it to other names at the same company. 𝟲. 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 Before paying for Premium, use the free 30-day trial. This unlocks unlimited connection notes and monthly InMail credits. If you choose to buy Premium for networking reasons, consider buying it one month at a time during your peak networking season. 𝟳. 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘀 Career services offices often have alumni contacts and can make introductions via email. Take advantage of their network to connect with alumni in your target roles. — PS. These are just a few of the tactics I cover in my ‘Leveraging LI as a College Student’ workshop, which I’ve led to hundreds of at 25+ universities. Most LI workshops stop at profile optimization. This one teaches students how to fully leverage LI, including turning connections into opportunities. Want to bring this to your students? Let’s talk.

“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

Students, treat your job search like a campaign. Marketing students asked me..."How do we get employers to consider us when we don't have work experience?" Since meeting with a group of exceptionally bright, capable, and motivated marketing students at NYU SPS Integrated Marketing & Communications, I gave this question more thought. Here's what I'd do: 1. Define the product benefits (You) and what problem you uniquely solve for your target market. 2. Define your ideal customer profile (prospective employers). Dive into their firmographics. 3. Segment the ICP list and research each industry. 4. Research each "customer" as if you were running an Account-Based Marketing 1:1 campaign. 5. Identify your customer's struggling moments. Read their reports, external communications, and customer reviews. 6. Tailor your value proposition and messaging for each customer. 7. Build your landing page (LinkedIn) - I'm going to write a separate post on this. 8. Create your outbound messaging. 9. Identify the buying champions (Hiring managers, H.R., and Functional leaders). Follow them on LinkedIn. Like and intelligently comment on their content. 10. Define your conversation goal(s) - Awareness is a good start. An introductory call is better. 11. Engage your buyers with outbound messaging. Polite, succinct, and polished communication is essential. 12. Send three messages over a period of five weeks to each of your targets To my network, what additional advice would you give to students who are campaigning for jobs? #marketing #jobsearch