Building your network: Effective strategies for college students
The networking process is one of the most important skills that a college student can learn. It will help them develop their professional relationships, find employment opportunities, and create connections with like-minded people. In this post, we are going to talk about effective networking strategies for college students.
Join campus clubs and organizations
College networking is about finding opportunities to connect with people. Joining clubs and organizations on campus will help students grow their network quickly because they connect with other like-minded individuals in the organization or club. One of the most important things that an individual should do when joining new groups is to be active, attend meetings, and recruit new people to join too.
Learn how to give a great presentation
The networking world is all about sharing an idea or concept in the most effective way possible. College networking means that students must learn how to give speeches; this may be as formal as giving a presentation or talk.
As you conclude, you can always mention the activities you do. For example, If you work part-time in a graphic design agency or domyessay service, mention it. Who knows, you might catch the attention of potential networking partners and enlarge your circle.
Volunteer in your community
As an individual, you can network by volunteering in your community and being active as a volunteer to build relationships that will carry on outside of the organization or club. You can find volunteer positions online or by asking around.
One thing that you should know is that nowadays, employers are interested in individuals volunteering history. If you look at various resumes online, you will realize that many candidates indicate when and where they volunteered their services. So, go ahead and volunteer; it’s a win-win situation.
Attend networking events
A networking event can be fertile ground for valuable connections if you prepare for it in advance and work your networking magic on those important connections that you make. Here are some helpful tips:
- Be prepared with a conversation starter for each person you meet;
- Maintain eye contact when speaking with your acquaintances;
- Introduce yourself to people you meet and get their identity as well;
- Work on your demeanor, a smile makes you more approachable;
- Collect cards from the people you meet and give out yours as well;
- Plan to follow up, for example, by connecting on social media.
Participate in alumni activities
If you are one of those students who don’t fancy joining your school’s alumni activities, think again. Attending alumni networking events is a great opportunity to meet some new people and keep in touch with those who have already helped you get where you are. Here are some ways to gain from your alumni association:
- Career advice, including resume reviews and exclusive job alerts;
- Perks like discounts on entry and parking fees;
- Access to university credit unions provides access to cheaper credit;
- Get connected to established senior alumni for skill and knowledge transfer.
Use LinkedIn to create connections
LinkedIn is the preferred networking platform for professionals. Having a great LinkedIn network can ensure that you don’t have to look for a job for long once you graduate. So if you are a student, make sure to create a profile on it and find out about the networking opportunities that come with it. Here is how:
- First, sign up for LinkedIn and complete your profile;
- Upload some professional quality pictures from recent work or internships;
- Add in relevant networking information such as where you went to college, what you studied, and where you have interned;
- Fill out your networking information by connecting with people on LinkedIn who share similar work experience to help build a network of contacts;
- Search for groups that are relevant to your profession or desired field. Join any groups in which the group’s purpose is consistent with networking;
- Join some local networking events hosted by networking groups or other networking professionals;
- Join some professional networking events to connect with people who are in different industries but relevant fields;
- Take advantage of LinkedIn publishing to share your articles, posts, or any information you find relevant.
Join Facebook groups and participate in discussions
Facebook is easily the most popular social networking tool. Currently, the company enjoys support from over one billion active users.
You can join networking groups that are specific to your profession or other interests on Facebook. For instance, if you are an aspiring journalist, joining a page created by journalists will keep you updated on trends and other important industry developments.
These groups regularly organize events for their members. Participating in these events will help you meet new people. This is a great way of networking with potential employers, business partners, and clients.
Become a member of a professional body
Professional bodies are an excellent means of networking with the people involved in your profession. If you are an aspiring accountant, joining a networking group like AICPA will keep you up to date on developments within the industry. Also, it will allow you to meet other accountants and provide networking opportunities at conferences.
Examples of reputable professional bodies include:
- American Accounting Association
- American Institute of Architects
- Association of Flight Attendants
- National Criminal Justice Association
Another benefit of joining a professional body is because it adds credibility to your resume. Members of these bodies usually get priority when jobs in their fields are posted.
To sum up
The key to building your professional network is simple: start today. Whether you’re a fresh high school graduate or in college, the sooner you get started, the better off you will be when it comes time for career networking and looking for jobs. Networking doesn’t have to be complicated, and you can start by implementing these strategies today.
