Are you a student trying to get familiar with the ways to network in college? Want to get your foot in the networking door? It’s the right time!
According to Yahoo News, about 85% of jobs today are filled with networking. What’s more, employment opportunities provided through networking have better quality and pay scale.
Social networking and college networking are similar to each other. In social networking, you connect on different social media platforms whereas in college networking you try to connect with different students for the relevant subject matter.
Networking for students goes from asking for a cup of coffee to getting engaged to joining different clubs with active participation.
Knowing the right way to approach and build connections will not only help you network in college but help you with negotiation skills. It will turn out to be helpful in the long run.
We will get familiar with easy ways to start networking for a better college student network. But, before that let’s get familiar with its importance.
Importance of Students Networking
Image Source: Rasmussen University
To make connections in college, firstly you can get started by knowing your lecturer better. Then when you gradually build up your confidence, start to attend different events related to networking.
Let’s understand why networking is important for students!
- Build Up Industry Connection: Sharing knowledge and information with one another is all about networking. Building a proper connection with industry people will help you to obtain significant career goals in long run.
- Better Ideas: When you build a proper network, you can easily know about new ideas and interesting perspectives through other students, professionals, or teachers.
- New Industry Technologies: College student network is the best way to get familiar with new technologies developments and techniques to use it.
- Access to Valuable Information: Always remember! The larger your network, the better the access to valuable information.
- Lifelong Friendship: It is true that the main purpose of networking is to build professional and college student networks. But, surprisingly networking molds the strongest lifeline friendship.
- Provides Employment Opportunities: When you meet new people, you’ll also get familiar with employers searching for professionals and talented employees. Networking helps you to find the employment opportunities that you’re seeking!
9 Ways to Start Networking in College
Image Source: N Career Blog
Let us get familiar with the tips to make connections in college!
1. Join Different Clubs
The college provides students with different club opportunities as per their interests. Check out the networking events to meet different students and professionals that you want to learn from.
You can also:
- Host different events
- Organize meetup platforms
- Do certain online research
- Categorize groups
- Make announcements
- Start conversations
By managing all these things, you can conduct and initiate to form of clubs that will help you get started with networking.
2. Listen and Ask Questions
The main concept of networking’ is to provide information and reach out for help if needed. Always make sure to ask open-ended questions. The question must engage everyone present in the room. Create generosity through what you ask for and then answer it wisely.
The whole concept of networking is to build relationships, so make sure to hear what others have to say.
Make the appreciation very clear if you like any concept or piece of information. This way, students will be more interested to have conversations with you.
3. Engage in Social Networking
Social networking is the easiest and faster way of networking. So, make sure to post, share and reshare the relevant piece of information.
Do the research and share about the current world affairs that are relevant and important. Make sure to be present in different spaces, and groups, that are relatable to networking in college.
The online platform provides different better opportunities these days. You never know what might pop up for you! So, make sure to use every available networking site for yourself!
4. Stretch Out to Professors
Your professors have had information about the relevant platform for years, sometimes even for decades. So take it as an opportunity. Engage yourself more in the classroom ask more questions, and take active participation.
Take advice from them and engage yourself in all the suggested consultations for better chances.
5. Complete your Assignments
When doing any assignments, you need to do a lot of research. This will help you to gain ideas on different subject matters.
Networking is all about sharing and gaining information. If you build a habit to do assignments, you will get better at research. This whole process will help you to gain more in-depth knowledge about anything and everything.
When you have plenty of information you can lead any conversation and stand out!
6. Use Career Services Office
The career services office will provide you with better ideas to build a professional cv. Not only that, but they will also help you to get connected with the previous batch of students who are working well.
This way you can gain the required information and build a proper network. Doing this, you’ll be able to find better opportunities for yourself.
Former students have connections of their own. If you can gain the access to those connections your work will be much easier.
7. Make the First Move
Don’t always wait for others to initiate the conversation with you. Instead, reach out yourself! Learn better ways to start the topic and be genuine.
Other students can find out whether you have a genuine interest or not. So, when you start a conversation show actual delight. This will build a capacity to find try and understand what engages others!
If something is really important then note it down on your best research paper writing services or phone. This way you can simply read the key points whenever required.
8. Meet Over a Cup of Coffee
Sometimes keeping things only professional might not be helpful. Try to build a connection in the overall aspect. Rather than meeting in club discussion or college meet for a cup of coffee.
Start a conversation about likes, interests, and hobbies. Gradually start to have a professional talk. “You have to be long-term focused, rather than transactional short-term focused”. Building an overall networking aspect will rightfully fit for a lifetime.
9. Do an Internship and/or Volunteer
Doing Internships and volunteering is the right way to begin if you’re a beginner. In networking these two opportunities will help you to learn and grow.
Adding different volunteering activities will credit your resume. Along with that, you will also gain some experience and the ability to learn things better!
An internship is a great way to establish different professional connections without much hassle.
Wrapping Up:
Networking is the right way to practice different communication protocols!
So, indulge yourself in your college days! To meet the highway, start learning the professional way of networking from an early age. This way, you’ll get your desired jobs in the future.
We would suggest you consider the aforementioned tips while you network.
If you have any other tips feel free to share them with us in the comments section below!
Happy Networking to All of Our Readers!
