Read Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview?: A Crash Course in Finding, Landing, and Keeping Your First Real Job for Free Online Page B

semester-long commitment), see if you can volunteer, even in a place that doesn’t usually take volunteers. But don’t assume you have to work for free; first ask if the company hires freelancers or temps.
    If you can’t find a contact through your network, cold-call; you’ll likely get a receptionist. Explain that you’re hoping to find out the name of the person with whom you should speak regarding employment or internships. Once you reach the appropriate person, explain how you know about the organization and that you are looking for opportunities there.
    You may be able to come in before or after work, on a weekend, or during a vacation. Though you might not have the full benefit of a formal internship, you’ll still gain exposure to the field, you’ll still be able to list the company on your résumé, and you’ll still meet people and discover which aspects of the business look most interesting to you.
Shadow Someone
    A NOTHER OPTION IS TO FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL LET YOU SHADOW him or her for a short period of time, from a half day to a day or more, like a college externship. This is basically an extended informational interview in which you speak with someone and then spend time observing him atwork, in meetings, on the phone. Obviously all confidential content of the day must remain so, but shadowing someone allows you to get a feel for what a job is really like and to see the inside of an organization.
    It is also something to mention in a cover letter and interview; even that half day can show your initiative and dedication to breaking into the field. A company name may ring bells you might otherwise not be ringing.
    A word of caution: Don’t try to pass off the experience as more than it is—be up front when describing it on a résumé, in a cover letter, or in an interview: “I had the opportunity to spend the day in court with Judge Marshall, a family friend, and he suggested I …” Or: “I met Mr. Singer through my choir, and was able to observe him in his classroom during my spring breaks; this experience confirmed my interest in teaching.”
Networking Etiquette
    The thing to remember when networking—or applying for a job, for that matter—is to make everything as easy as possible for the people who are helping you.
People help people who help them help them.
Try saying that three times fast. If someone is doing you a favor, you need to facilitate things for him as much as you can. Be easily reachable, make your intentions clear, and follow up. Don’t hound or pester people, and don’t abuse their good will. Above all, be respectful of people’s time.
    Read these nine simple networking rules, and you’ll be well on your way.
1. Communicate Your Focus
    W HEN YOU CONTACT PEOPLE FOR HELP , be specific about what you want.
    You’ll alienate a busy person who might be willing to help if you say, “I’m looking for a job and I’ll do anything and am willing to live anywhere.” He’ll look at your e-mail or letter and have no idea where to start and no time to figure it out. Give him a lead. Identify a city, an area, an organization, even a job, and he’ll be much more helpful. By the same token, you don’t want to get too specific or limiting in your range. If you’re on the phone with someone who says he doesn’t know anyone practicing entertainment law in Nashville, have some alternate options at the tip of your tongue; maybe that person could introduce you to someone in a legal-justice nonprofit, for instance; or perhaps he’d be willing to review or pass on your résumé to someone in his contracts department.
    GET A BUSINESS CARD
    Though it may seem premature, you should make yourself a business card to carry around with you during your job hunt. It’s professional, and it makes it easier to take advantage of chance encounters with potential employers or connections. Rather than scrawling your contact information on scraps of paper, you just pull out your card.
    You can easily get