Students often meet individuals, shake their hand, and potentially exchange business cards or connect on LinkedIn only to never see them again. This series of events does not count as networking. You met someone. You did not develop a relationship or connection with the person, and networks are about connections, ideally quality connections. Fostering and deepening these connections requires an investment of time and thought. You only have 168 hours each week, and many of those hours are consumed by class, homework, family, sleep, and other important activities. Still, you should invest a couple of hours each week growing and developing your network, and because the remaining time is limited, you should consider what types of growth and areas of development are most advantageous for your current career stage. Once you identify useful contacts, consider how your interests, skills, and expertise fit with the individual and his or her company. Relationships are a two-way street. If you think people are valuable and meaningful professional connections, it is important to show how you are valuable and meaningful to them too. It may be that you contribute to a weekly discussion about an ongoing project, or you could volunteer a few hours per week for an internship. There are many ways to strengthen your connections, but they each require some form of investment. By being deliberate in how you initiate professional relationships and investing time in the connections that are most meaningful to you and your career, you manage your time and career in an effective way. You can find other people's thoughts on this topic here: https://doi.org/10.24839/1092-0803.eye21.2.10 https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2011/09/28/6-ways-to-network-while-youre-in-college https://as.cornell.edu/networking-making-career-connections
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AuthorDr. Rasco is a social psychologist with a passion for students and their success. Archives
October 2020
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