EVEN if they are not hired permanently, interns can meet networking sources who can eventually lead them to other jobs.
Don't focus on how many people you meet networking -- focus on meeting the right people.
In fact, all the people that currently work for me I either met at networking events or hired after they contacted me asking to do an internship – during which time they had made themselves indispensable.
Nonetheless, it was the people Pissarra met through networking at such meetings that helped the company "gain experience and credibility".
Can the person you just met while networking make a call or broker an introduction for you?
Contact everyone you met while networking and interviewing, thank them for any assistance they may have provided and let them know where you've ended up.
In fact, every job I've gotten since I moved has been brought to my attention by someone I knew or met while networking.
I've had lunch or coffee with at least fifteen different people including ex-colleagues, ex-vendors and people I met at networking events and I still don't have a job.
Don't be shy about reaching out to the professionals that you meet at networking events and ask to meet you for a one-on-one chat at a coffee place.
If you want the people you meet at networking events -- potential customers, partners and investors -- to see your best side, you will need to act quickly and make sure you start out on the right foot.
Increasingly cofounders meet at networking events or hackathons.
