For most college students, networking can be scary. Interacting with professionals in your desired career field can generate feelings of intimidation, anxiety and fear of judgment. However, with infinite possibilities and ways to network, building meaningful connections will prove to be one of the most satisfactory and beneficial ways to improve your college experience.
First and foremost, networking provides the opportunity to engage in the most valuable conversations of your college career. When you walk into your school’s career or internship fair, you never know who you’ll strike up a conversation with and the impact it can have. This is a chance to brag about yourself, share the assets you bring to a team and impress the unknown opportunity standing in front of you.
Secondly, networking does not have to be in-person! Many college students feel anxious about attending large, in-person networking functions with business professionals and their peers. The great news is we live in a digital world with limitless opportunities to connect and engage through social apps. LinkedIn is one of the easiest ways to connect with employers you are interested in and start building a relationship before you graduate, with apps like these you can possibly get an opportunity with your dream company! Many colleges stream their events and even hold separate virtual events for students who might not be able to attend in-person.
Networking does not always have to have a goal. There is a common misconception that networking is always in professional settings and serves a direct purpose like landing an internship or job. However, starting a conversation with a friend from school, a guest speaker from your 8 a.m. class, or even with employees from your home university can serve as a gateway to additional connections. Your smaller connections can pass your name along to their connections and so forth. This is also a great way to build credibility and strengthen the brand you’re creating for yourself.
Finally, networking is a huge learning opportunity for students to engage within their field in real time. Depending upon your area of study, what you’re learning is constantly changing and can be drastically different between now and your graduation. This is a chance to talk with employers to learn more about the topics and concepts they are interested in when looking for potential entry-level candidates right now.
If you have read through this whole article, you might now understand the benefits but feel intimidated about where to actually start when it comes to meeting people outside of your typical circle. Here are some of my best tips to get started in networking:
- Keep a paper and digital copy of your resume, business card, etc. when attending events with potential employers. In addition, practice a quick, easy-to-remember pitch to share when you attend career or internship fairs.
- Attend your school’s events and organizations! This can include department and student organization events, networking mixers and campus wide fairs. If your school has a Her Campus chapter, write about popular topics in your field to share your ideas and thoughts.
- Create a LinkedIn and start posting your current coursework, program involvement, etc. to let employers know more about you. Spend time connecting with your peers, professors, recruiters in your field and professionals you meet at networking events.