For most of us, first coming to the University of Illinois was a pretty big change. It was one of the first times we were surrounded by thousands of people all at once. I remember the first day I walked into my Business 101 class, and my teacher kept mentioning the power of networking. It’s taken a few years to click, but I’ve finally realized networking isn’t about how many Facebook friends you have, or how many people you say hi to when you’re walking down the street. A person’s network is much more than that: it is a community that becomes a group of people who you can get in contact with professionally, and when you do it properly it can change your life.
Today, there are tons of social media tools (like LinkedIn) that let us network on the web without ever having to talk to a person face to face. While social media is great and time efficient, our generation is beginning to miss out on one vital skill set: the ability to hold a conversation with a stranger.
Going to the career fair and keeping your LinkedIn page up to date are good first steps to successfully building your network, but there are tons of other ways to go beyond that. Below are some out of the box ways to network up a storm.
1. Become a Campus Rep
This is an awesome way to make contact with people outside of the University while learning a lot about businesses in general. It’s becoming a trend for a lot of start-up ventures to look to college campuses for their marketing, and they want bright, motivated and outgoing people to spread awareness about their brand. CampusJob.com is a website that connects you with campus rep positions specific to your university. Often times businesses have campus reps at multiple universities, thus allowing you the chance to make business connections across the nation.
2. Actually Go to Those Random Informational Sessions You Always Get Emails About
We go to a school with an enormous amount of resources, and we often forget how much opportunity we have right in front of us. Whether it be an event that your college or career center puts on, giving an hour or two of your time may land you your dream job (or at least put you in contact with someone that can help you get your dream job)!
3. Don’t Miss Anymore Family Parties
As we get older, it is really easy to get wrapped up in our own lives and forget about what people in our extended families are up to. I’ve learned that spending time with some of the older members of my family has taught me a lot whether it be career-oriented or just about life. Basically, don’t forget about your aunt who you haven’t seen in years that could connect you to an internship this summer or give you valuable advice.
Image sources:
http://me-forum.me/en/networking/
http://giphy.com/gifs/little-mix-change-your-life-4dOMfH8dJqbks
https://instagram.com/pjmulroe/
http://northwestprimetime.com/news/2011/dec/29/dinner-table-how-avoid-butting-heads/