In my experience, it is sometimes not what you know, but who you know which gets you to interviews and jobs offers. Not to say that your degree or experiences are not important, but so often, it is your network of contacts that open the door for you at all. Networking is an essential business skill which professionals, especially those fresh out of college, should utilize and take advantage of.

Everyone you ask will tell you- “Networking is Important.” But what does that mean? Networking is a type of social network shared amongst professionals. It is an opportunity for you to add to your rolodex and meet people who could help you out in your future professional life. Networking can be fun and interesting, and is super easy for young people especially.

Over the past summer and winter breaks, I was an intern for JP Morgan Chase in Chicago working on a Tax Orientated Investment Portfolio. It was a fantastic internship where I learned a lot about internal investment banking. I had great experiences and really learned a lot about the firm, but because of consolidations on the portfolio, it did not look like I would be receiving an offer at the end of my program. As soon as I figured this out, I hit the ground running with applications to other positions within the bank. I applied to every job that I was eligible for and after each application was sent, I emailed the hiring manager directly. I reached out and explained how interested I was in the role, how excited I was to apply, and how I would love to sit down for coffee and talk more about it. 9 out of 10 times, I received a follow up email, and a majority of those responses led to coffee, lunch, or at least a phone call.

I became a super networker. I would meet with anyone and everyone- even if they did not have the power or ability to make hiring decisions. Everyone has some advice, insight, or contact information that could be useful to you. In this blog, I want to share my three simple tips to becoming a super networker.

10 Before 10.

I once received advice from a sales person that said the key to being successful at sales is completing 10 cold calls before 10 o’clock AM each morning. I took this advice and related it to applications and challenged myself to get into work a half an hour early to complete at least one new job application each morning. Simply doing one application a day, followed up by a personalized email before 10:00am was my way of making sure I was putting myself out there. In the beginning, it is all about quantity. Save a copy of your resume, a stock networking email, and a sample application to your desktop and send them out as often as possible. It never hurts to add your resume to an email but could make all the difference. You need to put yourself out there and make efforts to meet and reach out to new contacts and opportunities. It may seem overwhelming, but really challenge yourself to follow through on this commitment. You will never be considered for an opportunity that you did not first work for.

Use LinkedIn

Get on LinkedIn. Create an account and make it look good. Add a professional picture, and fill out as much information as you can, and keep it current. Once you have this tool, you can use it to help your networking process by connecting with people you have contacted. LinkedIn will literally show you what your contacts have done, who they worked with, and where they worked. You should stalk someone on LinkedIn before meeting with them. It will help you do your research and learn more about that person so that your meeting or interview can reach to a deeper level. This will also show that you are a sincere and dedicated candidate. LinkedIn is an invaluable tool that is underutilized in the professional world. A word of warning for LinkedIn users: Be selective of who you add to your connections. Don’t add friends who make you look unprofessional, this is a tool more than a social network. Also, don’t request to connect with someone unless you know them personally. You cannot connect with someone after applying to their job, or sending them one email. Reserve the connections for people who you have a meaningful, real-life connection with. When used properly, LinkedIn can be a great resource at your disposal.

When in doubt, get coffee.

Whenever possible, ask your contacts to meet in person. Don’t be afraid to send a request for lunch, coffee, or a meeting. It takes the person out of work and forces them to focus on you for the 15-20 minute coffee break. This is a great way to get contacts to know you on a personal level and will prove to them that you are dedicated, interested, and ambitious. You never know who they know and what they could help you with. Young professionals especially should utilize this. No manager is going to say “no” to going to get coffee with their intern and a face to face meeting can have a far longer lasting impression and impact. When you do this, people will remember you and when you least expect it, your phone will ring or with opportunities.

If you put the effort into your network, the payoff will be extraordinary. Never be afraid to expand your contacts. Send every email you can, follow up with every lead, and see what they can do for you. Most professionals are more than happy to help, especially when it means helping a college grad find their first position.