Going to school involves a significant amount of effort. As a student, you must attend class on a regular basis, be alert in class (which requires a full eight hours of sleep), and complete homework nearly every night. Family, friends, and extracurriculars are also important to you, but you always manage to make it work.
As you get closer to the completion of your program, you begin to consider the next step. Creating a CV and cover letter, securing references, and getting on-the-job experience are all critical steps in finding a job that meets your ambitions. Unfortunately, many students overlook one crucial step in landing their desired job: networking.
Here are some reliable networking tips for while you’re still in school:
1. Get Involved
Participating in school events allows you to build relationships with other students in your field (who may have connections), teachers (industry experts), and staff. Attending fundraisers and school events demonstrates to everyone that you are committed to moving forward in your life. This also makes it easier to attend networking events in the future because you’ll already know who’s going!
2. Utilize Social Media
We’ve covered the importance of social media as a part of networking already, but it’s really, really important! You can use LinkedIn or Twitter to discuss industry-related topics with those who are interested, as well as reach out to people who may be attending future networking events. If you’re apprehensive about attending networking events alone, this is a great way to ensure you’ll have people to meet up with face-to-face.
3. (Actually) go to networking events!
We understand how intimidating it is to attend events with the intention of meeting industry leaders. However, as you become better acquainted with people at your school and in your industry, you develop a support system for events like these. Having a support system might alleviate some of the stress and make approaching industry workers easier. Talk to the major names in pairs, and don’t be too overbearing when engaging in discussion. You want to be remembered for the right reasons, not for the wrong ones!
Keeping the above suggestions in mind, it’s also important to get involved earlier rather than later in your educational career. The more time you have to establish your position in the industry before you have to start putting those contacts to use, the better!
