Unfortunately, you won't hear much about networking in your college despite the amount of importance it holds in one's professional life post-college. Although few of the college has recently started taking initiatives to provide strong networking to their students, there are still plenty of educational institutions which ignore this aspect completely. In today's' scenario when the job market has lots of candidates to welcomes, it is becoming imperative for individuals to take initiatives which will let them stand apart in the crowd.
Networking
If you are familiar with social networks, where you gain followers and add friends, networking in the professional sense is similar in that you're establishing connections with people typically in your field. These connections could be working professionals, experts, thought leaders, or even professors. The purpose of networking is to form relationships with those who'll help get you to where you want to go, and the earlier you start building up your network, the better. That's why it's important to start networking in college — before you're even ready to enter the workforce. Networking is a great way to connect with others in your field and create opportunities for yourself after college.
The Way Forward
Networking allows you to become connected with a professional in your field or with students who are also going into similar fields. It also gives way for you to become knowledgeable about your field from the experiences that it may bring. This extra knowledge and experience can help benefit you before heading out into your prospective career. Also, referrals are critical for students looking to work in their chosen fields. Referrals from networking can give an upper hand when applying for jobs and allow employers to see the potential in you. A referral can also help with highlighting your skills and can help take you to the next level when done right. That simple referral letter or connection you made while at your career fair can help you get your foot in the door and provide an actual opportunity to work in the position of your dreams!
Where can you Network?
Whether knowingly or unknowingly, you are always networking- from building a strong bond with your friends at the classroom or sharing a discussion with your professors, you are always networking. However, the most important type of networking is when you get to visit a plant or undergo internships or work on a research project. There you meet dignified personalities from the industry who can help you broaden your knowledge and get access to lots of other contacts with industry veterans. Plus, if you ace your internship and make a really good impression, you will have created contacts that you can re-visit. Maybe in a year, you would want to work there again, or after you graduated you may want a full-time job at the same place you interned at 2 years before.
Coupled with the above-mentioned options, you can also check out any competitions that might fit your profile and through which you can prove your skills. A perfect example of this are hackathons; events at which you compete as an individual or team by using data for a particular purpose.
So, there you have it. Networking isn't an as hard task as it sounds, and it's not only for professionals in the workspace. You can easily network with fellow students, in societies, or at internships.
