I’m passionate about a lot of issues, ideas, and organizations, but one thing I enjoy more than anything else is talking with and listening to people. I genuinely enjoy learning and making connections between people. This has bode well for me thus far in my short career tenure; I’ve landed jobs because I enjoy networking and putting forth my best effort. But — networking isn’t exactly something they teach you in college, unfortunately. It’s a skill that must be learned, and it takes work, patience, and sometimes a few bucks to attend quality events.Â
Looking back on my college experience, the last thing I wanted to make time for between classes, homework, student organizations, being an RA, and interning was figuring out how to network; however, I made it a priority, beginning my freshman year by joining student organizations related to my major and keeping my social media profiles professional. Additionally, I utilized my college breaks to set-up informational interviews with people I identified as having “interesting career trajectories.”
Since it’s career fair season and students across the Hoosier state are looking to get their foot-in-the-door with companies, I thought I’d take a moment to share with you some networking tips that have worked for me thus far. (And, if you’re a Butler student, don’t miss Indiana INTERNnet’s Executive Director, Janet Boston, at tomorrow’s “Networking Night,” a (free) evening from Butler’s Office of Internships and Career Services.)
3. Develop your personal elevator pitch. When networking at large events, you only have a moment to make your first impression and hook someone into learning more about you — your skills, experiences, and what you can bring to the table. Think of issues related to who you are, where you are going, and why you are seeking a particular career path or interested in speaking with this person further. You should be ready to present your personal pitch when the moment arises — and you never know when that moment might be!
2. Create a professional business card. Students sometimes short-change themselves, if you ask me. Who says you have to wait to land an entry-level position before you have a business card, when you can make your own or order FREE, customized business cards using Vistaprint.com?
Consider including your name, college/university, major, anticipated graduation date, email address, phone number, and social media presence. I can’t always remember everyone I meet (and let’s face it, neither can the people with whom you’re meeting), so I created lines on the back of my business card that read, “It was a pleasure meeting you! at XXX event on XXX date.” I filled it out for that person and put the same information on the back of his/her business card, so I could reference specific details in a follow-up email, should I pursue another meeting. I would also invest in a business card holder and keep it with you as much as possible; you never know when a window of opportunity may arise!
1. Listen more, talk less. This isn’t a skill I’ve yet mastered, but I do realize the importance of it. If you follow the 80/20 rule when networking, it means you talk for 20% of the time (so make it count!), and you listen for 80% of the time, in order to get as much information as possible. With that said, you need to create a mental “question bank” so you can have open-ended questions prepared to ask the people you meet.
I hope these tips help you get started networking your way to an internship or job. Stay tuned for more networking tips, as it’s one of my favorite topics.
Do you have questions about networking? What networking ideas have worked for you? Share them in the comments section below.
