Building your professional network
Whether you are job searching, seeking an internship, or wish to advance your career in other areas, building and maintaining professional relationships is an essential part of the process. Tools like LinkedIn or other social networks may make the process easier, but it still may feel a bit overwhelming and confusing at the beginning.
It is important to try things that are conducive to your own personality type and comfort level. Some people might really enjoy networking events, others may prefer networking online and contributing to discussion boards or forums, and others may prefer to reach out to people directly on LinkedIn. Whatever your approach, it is important to take action and expand your professional network early and often.
Carnegie Mellon resources
Guides on how to use LinkedIn
- LinkedIn Profile Checklist
- Building a Great Student Profile
- Tailoring Your Profile to Your Goals
- Using LinkedIn to Find a Job or Internship
- Networking on LinkedIn
- Communicate Effectively on LinkedIn
Get connected to employers
CMU-SV offers many opportunities for students to connect with employers.
Career fairs
The Carnegie Mellon Converge Silicon Valley is a job and networking fair for Carnegie Mellon students from all CMU campuses who are seeking either full-time or a summer internship opportunity. The 2017 Silicon Valley Career Fair will be on February 23, 2017. More information and registration info can be found in Handshake. Click here for the student preview page.
Students are also welcome to attend career fairs held in Pittsburgh. The Technical Opportunities Conference (TOC) is the most popular among CMU-SV students.
Tartan Treks
Company site visits around the Silicon Valley and Bay Area (aka TartanTreks) provide a unique chance for students to learn about companies, job or internship opportunities, and what employers look for in candidates by actually visiting their workplace. We offer a few of these opportunities per semester and there is an application process. In the past year, students have visited Facebook, Airbnb, eBay, PayPal, GE Software, Walmart Labs, Google, Samsung, and Quixey, to name a few. Career Services will email all students as these opportunities become available.
On-campus recruiting and employer presentations
Students receive frequent emails from Career Services about internship and job opportunities. Employers who post these positions may schedule on-campus interviews to meet with students in person. Students may also apply for positions via Handshake, CMU’s online recruiting platform, and ask to have their interview be held via Skype or phone if the employer is interviewing in Pittsburgh. Employers will also be on campus throughout the academic year to host information sessions, tech talks, or other networking events. View the recruiting timeline.
Handshake
Handshake is Carnegie Mellon’s online recruiting platform. CMU-SV students can explore opportunities, submit resumes, sign up for interviews (note: most of these are held in Pittsburgh so you may have to ask for a phone or Skype interview), and find contact information for hundreds of recruiters and contacts.