Cracking the code of networking
We all know the saying “It’s not what you know. It’s who you know.” I didn’t know the partial truth in that statement until I migrated into adulthood.
When I first started university, I didn’t connect well with others. I was timid and antisocial for the most part.
I held myself back from connections by not doing anything outside of just going to class.
My sophomore year was the year that I decided to get serious about networking.
I knew that sitting around, expecting opportunities to fall on my lap was too unrealistic. I decided to make it much easier for myself.
I joined social clubs, applied for new positions, and talked to people FIRST! I immediately shifted my entire college experience.
That alone was enough to raise my social hierarchy on campus.
Then I realized it was all a domino effect.
I talk with somebody. I tell them a few things about myself and they do the same. We discuss majors and what we intend to do with ourselves.
Wash, rinse, and repeat.
Eventually, my name was known around campus. People knew what I was majoring in. They also knew what I was looking for.
Thanks to my networking I was able to meet important people around campus. I was able to attend events that helped me get my name out there more, and I got an internship this past summer.
None of this would have happened if I’ve never networked.
The chances I took would have been given to somebody else.
From my experience, I had a lot of friends who had a family with degrees guide them to positions in their or a mutual friend’s company.
As first-generation students, it can be difficult to get chances that you see others score since we most likely don’t know the people they do.
That’s why it’s so important to start connecting with people as early as possible.
The earlier you do, the more advantage you can give yourself.
If you’re hoping to get yourself out there and just aren’t certain how you can follow these three ways that can get you started. It worked for me and hopefully, it can work for you.
1. Create an online presence
If you plan to network with others outside of your campus, the best way you can do that is to create an online presence. We are living in a virtual world and everything seems to be online now. Why not use that as an advantage to brand yourself? If an internship or a full-time job is what you’re seeking, LinkedIn.com is the way to go. It’s like Facebook, but make it professional. There are employers, recruiters, and employees on the platform waiting to connect with people. You can also find possible employment.
Here is my personal account: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malaysia-wallace-b6a688156/
2. Join extracurricular
A lot of people I know now I met outside of the classroom. Whether you are athletic and want to join a sport or social and want to join a club, you have opened yourself to meet people who can help you meet more people. In my personal experience, my involvement helped me meet the staff on my campus who referred me to my internship and people working in large companies.
3. Accept opportunities
When opportunity knocks, answer the door. Sometimes the opportunities presented to you isn’t exactly what you want. It’s happened to me a few times. What I learned, later on, is that you have to start small and work your way up. Your dream opportunity isn’t always going to come to you first time around. If you accept smaller opportunities, it can help you meet people and gain experience for you to have the opportunity you’ve been hoping to come to you.
Networking is only difficult if you make it. It’s best to just be yourself while also acting as a product. You want to brand yourself to others.
