Have you ever heard the saying, ‘It’s not what you know, it’s who you know?’ While students must understand the material they are learning in each course, forming professional relationships with academic support, classmates, and professors is key.
There are many opportunities for students to connect with others in their desired profession. For example, you can sign up for a nursing conference to meet other nursing professionals or attend a social outing with colleagues who have unique work styles you want to learn more about. It may be best to leave friends and other familiar faces behind while building your network. “Leaving your comfort zone is more likely to get you talking to someone new” (Dankowski, 2018).
Networking in college can be beneficial to your career. The earlier you start, the more meaningful relationships you will be able to form over time. A great way to start building your network digitally is to create a LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn can be used to keep you connected with contacts who live far away.
Some additional tips for networking and building professional relationships in college include:
Have a positive mindset and be open to positive interactions with others.
Break the ice and don’t be afraid to introduce yourself first.
Know why you are approaching someone and be prepared to start a conversation.
Actively listen and engage in conversation by providing suggestions or asking questions.
Join an association, committee, or volunteer group.
Pay attention to your body language.
Bring business cards to large functions.
Be patient. Growing your contacts takes time.
Follow up with your contacts to maintain a quality network.
You should never underestimate the power of networking and building professional relationships while in school. Networking in school enables you to collect several contacts over time, leading to a significant growth in the social interactions between you and those in your field. Stay up to date with campus events, so you don’t miss out on any potential networking opportunities.
Remember to be your authentic self when networking, as the relationships you form with others can lead to long-term collaborations and partnerships that could help your career reach new heights.
To get started, visit the Career Resources guide on the library website. This page offers links to several different career networks that enable you to begin building relationships with others in your area of study, explore open positions, and research career information.
Dankowski, T. (2018). 11 tips for meaningful networking: Library pros share advice for meeting people and sustaining relationships. American Libraries, 49(11/12), 42–43.
Have you ever heard the saying, ‘It’s not what you know, it’s who you know?’ While students must understand the material they are learning in each course, forming professional relationships with academic support, classmates, and professors is key.
There are many opportunities for students to connect with others in their desired profession. For example, you can sign up for a nursing conference to meet other nursing professionals or attend a social outing with colleagues who have unique work styles you want to learn more about. It may be best to leave friends and other familiar faces behind while building your network. “Leaving your comfort zone is more likely to get you talking to someone new” (Dankowski, 2018).
Networking in college can be beneficial to your career. The earlier you start, the more meaningful relationships you will be able to form over time. A great way to start building your network digitally is to create a LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn can be used to keep you connected with contacts who live far away.
Some additional tips for networking and building professional relationships in college include:
Have a positive mindset and be open to positive interactions with others.
Break the ice and don’t be afraid to introduce yourself first.
Know why you are approaching someone and be prepared to start a conversation.
Actively listen and engage in conversation by providing suggestions or asking questions.
Join an association, committee, or volunteer group.
Pay attention to your body language.
Bring business cards to large functions.
Be patient. Growing your contacts takes time.
Follow up with your contacts to maintain a quality network.
You should never underestimate the power of networking and building professional relationships while in school. Networking in school enables you to collect several contacts over time, leading to a significant growth in the social interactions between you and those in your field. Stay up to date with campus events, so you don’t miss out on any potential networking opportunities.
Remember to be your authentic self when networking, as the relationships you form with others can lead to long-term collaborations and partnerships that could help your career reach new heights.
To get started, visit the Career Resources guide on the library website. This page offers links to several different career networks that enable you to begin building relationships with others in your area of study, explore open positions, and research career information.
Dankowski, T. (2018). 11 tips for meaningful networking: Library pros share advice for meeting people and sustaining relationships. American Libraries, 49(11/12), 42–43.