A common misconception is that networking is not important until you have graduated college. On the contrary, networking starts now It started as soon as you began meeting people. Connections can be found anywhere from parents to professors to random people you meet at events. The people and the impressions you make on them now could make or break your path to your future career. Don’t freak out though! There are many ways that you can change what you are doing to help yourself with networking.
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One of the first issues with networking is that many people don’t know what to do. When I was looking at colleges, I met a man who told me to make business cards…now! I thought that was strange, but he had a good point. He always had them on hand in case he met someone important. Instead of constantly carrying around a resume, he had little cards to remind people of him. Genius! The goal is to get people to remember you, so why not do something a little different. It is not always practical to have a resume on hand especially if there is always potential to meet a future employer, a business card is the perfect way to have a piece of yourself to give to people anywhere you go.
Along the same lines, having a current, up-to-date resume is vital to success. Employers want to know that you are ready at all times if the opportunity presents itself. It might seem strange that social media could help you with your career, but creating a LinkedIn profile is a new tool that many people are using. Many employers and other connections use this tool to learn about you in a modern, efficient way.
Most importantly you should be confident, when meeting important people and, honestly, just in life. Be confident enough to walk up to a person and start talking to them. You never know what kind of beneficial advice or experience they could provide. According to the Career Services Acting Associate Director Yisell Cirion at Florida International University, “Networking happens in many different ways, in many different places with many different types of individuals.”
Now that you have some tips on what you should have and do when networking, here are many different ways to get started.
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Attending networking events is crucial in your path to future success. These can be found through searching online for networking events in your area. On campus at Cal Lutheran University, there is a yearly event in the fall called Mathews Leadership Forum. This event is centered around college students networking with business leaders in the community. I attended the forum this past October, and I met many people that I would not have been able to meet otherwise. There were many CEOs, CFOs, entrepreneurs willing and able to help confused college students. When you meet people at networking events, according to the website, Fortune, “It doesn’t matter if someone is inside or outside of your industry, if they are interesting and influential, be willing to commit time and/or resources to meet, connect or help that individual.” These types of people might not seem influential at the moment, but they could have connections to other people you are looking for. Professors can also help you in different ways other than teaching you about Plato’s ideas on justice. What students often times forget is that professors have more experience than they might think. Many professors had careers before they started teaching. Learn from them. Pick their brains. “Professors are often an untapped resource for students. They are knowledgeable and often have had successful careers in the fields that their students want to get into,” Yisell Cirion states. “They want to share their knowledge but students are not asking them the right questions. Stay in touch and keep them up-to-date with your progress and where you are.”
Lastly, another largely untapped resource is volunteering at events that you are interested in. If you want to help raise money for cancer, volunteer at a Relay for Life event near you. You might meet someone there that you would never have known you needed in your networking group. Don’t limit yourself to what you think you may need. Get outside your comfort zone, and you might just meet some incredible people that can help you in a plethora of ways.
Just as a final tip before you go forth on your networking odyssey, keep your social media accounts clean. Many people fail to realize that future employers look up everything they can about you so they can see if you will be a beneficial asset to the team. Make sure unsavory content is not present on your accounts; it would be a waste if a picture of you on Instagram hinders what people in your network think of you and your work abilities. Remember to be professional. An article on the website, The Undercover Recruiter, mentioned that “according to a recent survey, nearly 95% of hiring professionals check social media during recruitment.” Keep that statistic in mind.
Congratulations! If you can follow these tips you are now ready to grow your network, you’ll be ready to take on the world!
Thumbnail photo courtesy of IMCreator.com