Savvy Networking Tips for Your College Career and Beyond

If there's one ultimate secret that any seasoned professional can bestow on a college bound individual, it's this: learn to network. Whatever your selected career path, maintaining the ability to socialize and communicate with individuals in and out of your field is often the absolute core of a successful career. Below are some tips on how best to identify a good networking opportunity, organize your contacts, and understand the vast benefits of staying in touch in the appropriate manner. Let's get ready to mingle!

There is no greater truth in the professional world that it's not as much about what you know as who you know. Whether you're pursuing an artistic path like acting or the arts, focused on a business-minded career, or into a scientific or medical field, it never hurts to maneuver your way into a like-minded circle. There's an art to networking, as you never want to appear needy or demanding, but realize that everyone -- and I do mean everyone -- does it. Start right now as you embark on your college experience, and keep up the momentum until the end of your professional career and beyond. Here's some valuable advice:

1) Everyone's a potential partner - choose wisely If you know the industry you'd like to be a part of someday, you're ahead of the game. But if you're still searching for the write career path, you can still network like a pro -- in fact, it's probably even more important. Look for potential connections everywhere; your parents' parties, school-sanctioned gatherings, job fairs, friends of friends, relatives and friends' relatives -- even the gentleman sitting next to you on the plane. There's absolutely no predicting when you'll meet the person that can help you in your career.

2) Be vocal If you know your dream is a future book deal, talk about it. If you're after a dream residency or internship, make sure everyone in your circle knows. You'd be surprised how well this works. Say your friend John meets a publisher at a party, and she's looking for the next great Creative Nonfiction manuscript. If John knows you just finished your own opus, he's likely to relay the information to you both. These chance meetings are the stuff that careers are made of -- no one can help you if they don't know what you're after.

3) Give just as much as you receive -- if not more As with anything, networking is a balance; people love to help others, and that's doubly so for someone who gives off the aura of a giver. Say you're a jewelry maker, and you cross paths with someone who's already successful in this field. If they offer to give you a shot as an intern, recruit all your friends and family to purchase goods from your new friend and employer. Don't assume that just because you're a college student that you don't have something to offer. Sometimes your youthful connections are an absolute goldmine!

4) Be gracious, be persistent These two go hand in hand. If someone offers to assist in making a dream of yours come alive, the most important thing you can give back is gratitude. Even if it's just a "Hey, maybe I can help, maybe I can't" offer -- be incredibly thankful that someone has heard you. Once you have the contact (email addresses are preferable, as they are less invasive), don't be afraid to keep in touch. Don't go crazy and ping these individuals daily, but a monthly drop-in isn't at all overzealous. And show that you listened. If you met a scientist working on stem cell research and this is your dream field, check on their progress from time to time. Be persistent, but not pushy. There's a fine line there, but trust your instincts.

Whatever contacts you make during your college career, make sure you hold the information close. That includes professors, fellow students, and random fly-bys; any of these people could end up bring crucial to your career someday. You might change paths, you might be struck with new inspiration, and if you kept tabs on that magazine writer that's now a big-shot editor and you've suddenly decided that all you want to do is be a journalist, you'll be pleased you didn't toss their business card. Networking is the key to success. Learn to be graciously social, and pretty soon, you'll be the one everyone wants to connect with.

Advertisement

Get More Information