Networking: Why it is Always Good to Make Connections

A few years ago, Jamie Altman joined the Chapman Her Campus staff not knowing what it would do for her. She simply wanted to write with the rest of the staff, but now with graduation quickly approaching, she has landed herself a new job with the help of the connections she’s made. The opportunity of her new career path has all been given to her with the help of the connections she has made in Her Campus. This would have never happened if she had never made solid connections with the people she knew.

How to Ensure Good Connections

Simple things that you may do already and not even think about can make a huge difference in the connections that you will make with people. Whether you’re in college or the real world, it can always be beneficial to provide a friendly face among the crowd. Here are some simple tips to make this happen.

COMPLIMENTS TO THE CHEF

If you see anything about a person’s appearance that you like, don’t hesitate to call it out to them! Everyone loves a compliment to make their day, and even if you don’t want to focus on their appearance, saying something that makes it clear to them that you are paying attention is always flattering.

NAMES NAMES NAMES

This seems like a no brainer, but sometimes when you’re constantly meeting new people all the time, it can be difficult to remember everyone’s names. Just try your hardest to remember, even write it down if you have to. Knowing people’s names can come in handy in simple situations like running into them at the grocery store, but also you can now have another connection for social media sites.

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS

Simple things such as opening the door for someone or providing a smile and thank you to show appreciation when getting your drink at Starbucks can make all the difference in someone’s opinion of you. Do the things that don’t take any time out of your day but others will appreciate you for.

FIX BROKEN TIES

Even when you don’t really want to, whether it was a misunderstanding or you simply don’t get along, try and mend the fences where at all possible. It is better to do this earlier on so that you are on good civil terms if you are ever to run into them in any future endeavors.

BE FRIENDLY

Sometimes you might just be having a bad day and that’s okay, but you may not come off as the most approachable, therefore people will be less inclined to reach out to you. Try and reach out to others instead to reassure them with a simple ‘hello’ or smile.

EMAIL ETIQUETTE

Whether you are contacting a person through email or through text message, they are taking the time out of their day to talking with you, so make sure you show your appreciation. Try to respond as soon as you can and remember to thank them. In the case that you need to email them again, they may see this and be more inclined to respond.

With these handy tricks, you will become a networking queen, hopefully landing a new job and brighter future thanks to the connections you’ve made along the way!

• career
• connections
• networking
• Professionalism