How to network effectively

Networking has become essential when looking for a job or internship: to refine your academic/professional projects or activate employment opportunities.

30% of Sciences Po graduates in 2024 found their first job through networking (personal and professional connections and unsolicited applications) and only 18% by responding to job advertisements, so don't hesitate!

Prepare your strategy

Target your contacts

Depending on your objective (refining your career plan or identifying internship/job opportunities), start by listing all the people who could be useful to you:

• People close to you who you can easily contact (family members, friends, fellow students, teachers, etc.).
• People you have worked with (internship, work-study programme, job) and who you can easily contact by email (manager, colleagues, etc.).
• People who do not know you but who work in your field of interest (alumni) and whom you can contact by email or LinkedIn message.
• This list must be sufficiently large (15/20 contacts to start with) and your LinkedIn account must be up to date and detailed in order to hope to achieve results.

How to approach your contacts ?

• To contact Sciences Po graduates, go to LinkedIn, type ‘Sciences Po’ in the search bar, then click on the ‘Alumni’ tab and search for alumni by keyword.
• Send an email rather than a LinkedIn message to the person. They will be more likely to respond as this is their everyday work tool.

It is rare for someone to reply to you immediately after your first message. It is essential to follow up at least once or twice at 7-day intervals to get a meaningful response. Following up simply means asking them if they received your message and if they are available to talk to you soon.

Here are two examples of initial messages (to be adapted according to your objective) to secure an interview, ideally in person or online, or by telephone:

• To people who know you and have worked with you:

"Hello (...) I hope you are well. I am now a student/graduate of (...) and I am looking for an internship/job starting on (...) in the field of (...). I would like to discuss my plans with you. It could be useful for me. Would you have a few moments to talk about it? Thank you for your response. Best regards.

• To people you don't know but who work in the field you are interested in: 

"Hello. I am a student/graduate of (...) and I am interested in the (...) sector. I saw on your LinkedIn account that you are also a graduate of Sciences Po Paris and that you have experience in (...) in this field. Would you have a few minutes to discuss this with me? I would like to learn more about (...). Thank you for your response. Best regards.

Do not ask the person directly if they are recruiting. The goal here is primarily to secure an interview to identify opportunities and develop your network. 

You've landed an interview, well done! Now what?

• Prepare your presentation (be clear and concise)
• Prepare your questions
• If the person doesn't mention any opportunities in their field, ask them if they can put you in touch with other people in their professional circle.

Further information

• Contact the alumni directory (paid membership).
• Sign up for a workshop offered by Sciences Po Carrières.