Career Exploration and Networking for Master’s Students  

Master’s students at Penn explore many possible paths while building skills, experiences, and professional connections that support both immediate job searches and long‑term careers. This page explains how to explore careers and build a network using tools and Penn resources designed with Master’s students in mind.  You can find more details, templates, and examples in the Informational Interviews Guide for Graduate Students and Postdocs.

WHAT IS CAREER EXPLORATION FOR MASTER’S STUDENTS?

Career exploration is the process of understanding your interests, skills, and values, and then connecting them to concrete roles, industries, and organizations. It involves trying out ideas, gathering information, and reflecting on what you learn so you can pursue work that feels meaningful, challenging, and sustainable during and after your Master’s program, rather than applying randomly and hoping something fits. Over time, this process helps you narrow broad interests into a few realistic paths and gives you language to explain your goals to employers, mentors, and yourself.

Ways to begin exploring:

  • Reflect on your interests, strengths, and constraints, including which problems you enjoy solving, which skills you want to use most often, and any location, visa, or work‑environment preferences you have. Jot down themes you notice so you can compare them to real job descriptions later.
  • Use CareerExplorer to see roles and industries that match your background and preferences. As you review suggested paths, note which titles, tasks, and work settings seem most energizing and which feel like a poor fit.
  • Review what recent graduates do after Penn using the Post‑Graduate Outcomes data, focusing on graduates from similar schools and programs. Look for patterns in job titles, employers, and locations that match your own interests, and write down a few roles you might want to learn more about.
  • If you are an international student, use the additional outcomes tool that highlights U.S. employers who have previously hired international Penn students. This can help you identify realistic starting points and prioritize organizations that are more familiar with sponsorship and work authorization.
  • Explore the “I’m Exploring” channel for information about reflecting on options and planning next steps. Try one or two reflection exercises and use them to refine a short list of paths you want to investigate further.

As you identify a few roles or fields that interest you, networking and informational interviews help you test your ideas, fill in gaps you can’t see from job postings alone, and build relationships in those areas.

WHAT IS AN INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW?

Informational interviews are one‑on‑one conversations with professionals where your goal is to learn about their career path, role, organization, and field—not to ask for a job. These conversations help you understand required skills, day‑to‑day work, workplace culture, common entry points, and how people with degrees like yours made their transitions, so you can make more informed choices and feel less guesswork in your job search. They also allow you to practice talking about your own interests in a low‑pressure setting.

Typical goals for an informational interview:

  • Learn how someone chose their field and moved between roles and organizations, including which decisions, experiences, or constraints were most important along the way.
  • Hear which skills, experiences, and personal qualities matter most in their job and their organization, and how they first demonstrated those skills as early‑career professionals.
  • Understand how they see their industry changing and what this may mean for new Master’s graduates, including which tools or experiences they recommend you build now.
  • Ask for advice on next steps, such as courses, projects, professional associations, or job titles that would be useful for someone with your background who is exploring this field.

For a deeper dive, including sample questions, outreach emails, and checklists, download the Informational Interviews for Graduate Students and Postdocs guide.

WHERE CAN MASTER’S STUDENTS NETWORK?

Networking is simply talking with people and building relationships to learn what it is like to work in particular roles, fields, and industries. The best time to network is often when you are exploring, before you urgently need a job or internship, so your questions can be more open‑ended and less pressured. Over time, these conversations expand your understanding of the landscape and create a community of people who know what you are interested in.

Places to look for networking contacts:

  • People you already know, including classmates, faculty, teaching staff, supervisors, mentors, labmates, friends, family members, and neighbors who are in careers that interest you or who can introduce you to others. A short conversation with someone one step ahead of you can be as valuable as a meeting with a senior executive.
  • Alumni resources, including the MyPenn alumni directory, which lets you search for alumni by degree, school, major, employer, location, and interests, and LinkedIn’s Alumni tool for “University of Pennsylvania”, which helps you filter by field, employer, and location. These tools are especially useful for finding people who share your program, region, or identity.
  • Student and peer networks in Handshake, where you can see which Penn students have worked or interned at organizations you are curious about and, in some cases, message them directly. Peers who recently completed an internship can offer very current insight into hiring timelines and interview processes.
  • Events and communities such as departmental talks, employer information sessions, panels, academic and professional conferences, career fairs, and alumni receptions where you can ask questions, introduce yourself briefly, and then follow up afterward by email or LinkedIn. Taking notes on names, roles, and key points makes later outreach easier.

Using a simple spreadsheet or notes app to track whom you contacted, how you found them, when you met, what you discussed, and how you plan to follow up makes networking more organized and less stressful over time, and prevents you from losing track of valuable connections.

HOW SHOULD MASTER’S STUDENTS REACH OUT?

AA clear, short outreach email makes it more likely that a busy alum or professional will say yes to your request for an informational interview. Your message should highlight who you are, what you have in common, and why you want to speak with this specific person, so it feels personal rather than generic and shows that you have done basic homework.

Key elements of a good outreach message:

  • A subject line that mentions Penn and your request, such as “Informational interview request from Penn Master’s student” or “Penn Master’s student interested in data science career paths.”
  • A one‑sentence introduction that includes your name, Penn program, graduation year, and how you found them, such as MyPenn, LinkedIn alumni search, a class talk they gave, or a mutual contact.
  • One or two lines about your career interests and what you find interesting about their path, organization, or field—for example, their transition from graduate school, their work at the intersection of two disciplines, or a project you saw on their LinkedIn profile.
  • A specific, time‑bound ask, such as: “Would you be willing to speak with me for about 15–20 minutes over Zoom or phone about your career path and advice for Master’s students exploring this field?” Offering a time range shows that you respect their schedule.
  • A closing that thanks them for considering your request, mentions that you are flexible with timing, and makes it easy to say yes (for example, by suggesting a few time windows or asking them to propose a time that works best).

You can use AI tools to help brainstorm and refine outreach email drafts you have already written, making sure that they sound like you, are polite and concise, and reflect your personal goals and tone before you hit send.

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR AN INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW?

Preparation helps you feel more confident and get more out of the conversation. It also shows respect for the professional’s time and encourages a more candid, useful discussion, because they can see that you have invested effort and are asking questions that only they, not a website, can answer.

Preparation steps:

  • Research the person’s background using LinkedIn, MyPenn, and the employer’s website so you understand their roles, transitions, and current organization. Note specific projects, publications, or topics you might want to ask about, and check any recent news about the organization.
  • Clarify your goal for the conversation, such as understanding entry‑level roles, skills in demand, workplace culture, how they used a degree similar to yours, or how international students navigate hiring in that field. Having a clear goal helps you prioritize questions and manage time.
  • Prepare a one‑ to two‑minute “tell me about yourself” that covers your academic program, relevant experiences, and what you are exploring next, and ends with why you are excited to speak with them. Practicing this aloud a few times can make you sound more confident and natural, and you can reuse it in future conversations and interviews.
  • Draft a short list of questions (for example, 5–8) and be ready to ask follow‑up questions based on their answers, focusing on their path, current responsibilities, and advice. You might ask what surprised them about their role, what skills new hires often lack, or what professional associations or resources they recommend.
  • Avoid questions you could easily answer by scanning the organization’s website or doing a quick online search, such as basic facts about products, locations, or mission statements. Instead, use your time together for questions that benefit from their personal perspective and insider experience.

WHAT NETWORKING ETIQUETTE SHOULD MASTER’S STUDENTS FOLLOW?

Professional and considerate behavior makes it easier for contacts to say yes and want to keep in touch with you. Etiquette is less about being perfect and more about being prepared, respectful, and responsive, which signals that you would be a thoughtful colleague.

Etiquette tips for meetings:

  • Confirm the time, date, time zone, and location or Zoom link in advance, and be on time for the conversation. If something changes, let the person know as soon as possible and suggest alternative times, rather than cancelling at the last minute.
  • For virtual meetings, send a calendar invite, choose a neutral background, check your audio and video in advance, and dress in business‑casual attire so you feel prepared and professional, even if the conversation is informal.
  • Keep an eye on the clock and wrap up on time, leaving a minute or two at the end to say thank you and ask if you may stay in touch. If they seem comfortable extending the conversation, you can follow their lead, but you should not assume they are free to talk longer.
  • If you are using tools that create transcripts or AI summaries, such as Zoom AI Companion, let the professional know at the beginning and ask if they are comfortable with this; turn the tool off if they prefer not to use it.
  • If you are meeting in a coffee shop and you are able, offering to buy coffee is a thoughtful gesture, though it is not required; expressing gratitude—during the conversation and in your follow‑up—is the most important part.
  • Showing genuine curiosity, listening carefully, taking brief notes, and following through on any advice or suggestions you receive are all part of good networking etiquette and help you build a reputation as a responsible, engaged professional.

HOW SHOULD I FOLLOW UP AND STAY IN TOUCH?

Following up after a conversation turns a one‑time meeting into a longer‑term professional connection. This is a key part of networking and career exploration for Master’s students and can lead to future conversations, introductions, or opportunities when timing is right.

Follow‑up steps:

  • Send a thank‑you email within 24 hours, mentioning something specific you learned and any next steps you plan to take based on their advice. This shows you were listening and value their time, and it reinforces the key points you want them to remember about you.
  • Send a LinkedIn connection request with a brief personalized note reminding them who you are, where you met, and that you appreciated their insights. Connecting soon after your meeting makes it easier for them to remember you.
  • A few months later, consider sending a short update about your progress (for example, a course you took, an internship you secured, or a project you completed), a relevant article, or a new question that reflects the next stage of your exploration. These brief touchpoints keep the relationship active without asking for anything immediately.
  • If they suggested additional people to contact, reach out to those contacts and mention the shared connection. Let your original contact know if you had a helpful conversation with someone they recommended; this closes the loop and demonstrates follow‑through.
  • As your network grows, you can continue to explore new paths, learn about opportunities, and feel more confident about your next steps during and after your Master’s program, knowing you have people you can return to with questions, updates, and ideas.

HOW CAN PENN CAREER SERVICES SUPPORT MASTER’S STUDENTS WITH CAREER EXPLORATION AND NETWORKING?

Penn Career Services offers many ways for Master’s students to get support with career exploration and networking.

Support options include:

FAQS: CAREER EXPLORATION AND NETWORKING FOR MASTER’S STUDENTS

How early should I start networking as a Master’s student?

You can start networking as soon as you begin your Master’s program, even if you are still unsure about your career direction. Starting early gives you time to explore different paths, learn from professionals without the pressure of an immediate job search, and build relationships you can return to when you are ready to apply for internships, jobs, or further training. Even one or two conversations in your first semester can make later applications and interviews feel more familiar and less intimidating. As your interests become clearer, you can gradually shift your conversations from broad exploration (“What are the main paths from this field?”) to more targeted questions about specific roles, locations, or employers.

How many informational interviews should I aim to do?

There is no perfect number, but a realistic goal is to start with two to four informational interviews each semester and increase that as you get closer to your internship or job search. This gives you enough conversations to compare different paths and deepen relationships without feeling overwhelmed. If you find a field you are very interested in, you might cluster more conversations there to hear multiple perspectives on similar roles before committing your time to a specific search. Pay attention to when you start hearing similar answers; that is often a sign you have enough information to make an initial decision and can focus next on gaining experience or preparing applications.

Is it okay to ask for a job or referral in an informational interview?

No. Informational interviews are for learning, not for asking directly for a job or referral. Focus on questions about the person’s experiences, role, organization, and advice, and let any future opportunities or referrals emerge naturally as the relationship develops. If they think you might be a good fit for something, they will often volunteer that information themselves, mention upcoming postings, or suggest ways to stay connected that could lead to opportunities later. A good rule of thumb is to end by asking for recommendations on next steps – such as skills to build, resources to explore, or other professionals to contact – rather than asking them to put your resume in front of a hiring manager.

What should I say if I feel awkward or nervous reaching out?

You can keep your message simple by briefly introducing yourself as a Penn Master’s student, mentioning how you found the person, and sharing one specific thing you hope to learn from their experience. For example, you might say you are exploring data roles in healthcare, curious about transitions from academia to consulting, or interested in their work at the intersection of policy and technology. Many professionals remember being in your position as graduate students and are happy to talk when they see a clear, respectful request with a small time commitment. It can also help to draft a template you reuse and lightly customize each time, so you are not starting from a blank page with every email.

How can I use outcomes data to support my exploration as a Master’s student?

You can use the Penn Post‑Graduate Outcomes tools to see what graduates from your school or program do after Penn and to identify employers, job titles, and industries that interest you. If you are an international student, you can also use the outcomes tools to see which U.S. employers have previously hired international Penn students. You can then combine that information with networking and informational interviews, for example, by reaching out to alumni at those employers, asking how they were hired, what teams they joined first, or which skills were most important. Over time, patterns in the outcomes data and your conversations can help you build a short, focused target list of roles and organizations to prioritize in your applications.

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