5 Networking Questions New Grads Should Ask

It’s always challenging for people to transition from academic study to professional life, but a global pandemic and unstable economy is an especially tough time to be a new graduate. One of the hardest parts about entering the workforce is figuring out what jobs you’re actually qualified for with your degree and experience. That’s where networking and informational interviews come in. 

You can read more general advice about informational interviews here, but the following five questions are great ones for new grads to ask when networking :

• What do you wish you’d done differently after you graduated?
• What jobs do you know about now, that you didn’t know about when you graduated?
• Of everyone you know in your field, who has the most interesting job?
• What are the major career paths in your field, and how would you compare them?
• I’m meeting with a lot of interesting people right now and would love to connect you with people or resources that could be helpful to you. What skills or projects are you working on professionally this year? 

When you’re first entering the workforce, you want to uncover as much as possible about what you don’t know. These questions will help you learn about career options you don’t know existed for you and make smart decisions based on your professional goals. 

Of course, being helpful to people who are sharing their time and advice is the right thing to do, and it also helps you cement that professional relationship. It will give you a reason to follow up with your contact in the future without being a nag, and you might even be able to recommend them for an opportunity.

This article or portions of this article was written by Karissa Justice and originally appeared on Work Can Be Better.