Networking Question- why do you ask to talk to other people?

Hey guys, I'm beginning my networking efforts to recruit for consulting, and when I hear other people talk about networking, I hear that people often ask the person they are talking to if there is anyone else they can talk to after they are done with the conversation... I don't get why people do that. I'm directly reaching out to alumni that are business analysts/consultants at the firm I want to work at. So can't they themselves just send my resume to HR? Like what's the point of connecting with other people and talking to more people when that person that I initially cold reached out to can refer my resume for me? Like I had a good conversation with someone, and he said let me know if you want me to connect you with someone else. But like... why??

2 Comments
 

Seriously...? Because getting your resume forwarded to HR isn't the only reason to talk to someone at a firm. To name just a few other:

  1. You're interested in getting a feel for the culture of the firm, and talking to more than one person would give you a better idea
  2. You want to talk to someone who's done projects in an industry or function you are interested in exploring
  3. You want to meet more people so that they can help you prep for the interviews
  4. You want to know about various "extracurriculars" at the firm (e.g., volunteering, taking a leadership role for recruiting, planning social events for your class/office)
  5. You're curious about the different career paths after the first two years at firm XYZ
  6. You're a human being that is interested in meeting other human beings

Etc etc.

 
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