By: Brea Lundsten (lundba29@uwgb.edu)
For students in a modern job market, college is often just a stepping stone to their future careers. Students work tirelessly for four years to gain their education and degree to be able to be qualified and prepared for their jobs. One important step students tend to look past, not have time for, or forget about is networking. Networking is the process of building and maintaining professional relationships. This process helps professionals get the support they need for their career growth within their field of expertise. Through these relationships, professionals are able to find job opportunities, build their skills, and learn more about other brands within their industry.
Building a professional network while in college is often beneficial because it gives students a head start in their career planning. Many students can find internships and job offers after college through this. Zach Zimmerman, a UWGB alumnus and a State Farm agency owner, says, “Networking is an important part of students’ future careers because more opportunities will arise from it. Networking helps identify what you may like as well as what you may not. There are so many industries I’ve learned about while networking.”
There are many different ways students can start their professional network while in college. Attending networking events can sometimes be hard for students who have a full class schedule and work during the semester. That is where online networking can come into play with building a LinkedIn profile. They can also start connecting with business owners, alumni, and other professionals within the career fields they want to go into. “LinkedIn was my favorite platform at the time. It helped keep me up to date with what was available and what other people were doing,” Zimmerman states.
Attending networking events like UWGB’s career fairs can help further students’ professional network while still in college. “I attended a UWGB career fair in the fall of 2017. Two State Farm agents jumped out in front of me and told me I was going to work for State Farm. I told them, yeah, I don’t think so. I interviewed with them, and they sent me a declination email later on that day. In the spring of 2018, I interviewed again and was given an offer,” Zimmerman stated. The career fair at UWGB has helped many students find future jobs after graduation.
Tressa Lundsten, YMCA senior child care director, states, “I think that the career fair helps students obtain jobs or internships within their prospective majors, which allows them to network with employers and other employees for future employment after graduation.”
Networking doesn’t always come naturally to everyone, and in-person events can sometimes feel uncomfortable or awkward. It comes with its own set of challenges. “The biggest challenge I’ve faced while networking is running into someone who already has an ‘insurance guy.’ I’m not in the business of breaking up relationships, but I am in the business of making friends. If you become that friend, you’ll always be in the back of my mind when something comes up,” Zimmerman states.
Going into networking events with a strategy can always give students an advantage. Phillip Clampitt, Communication Professor at UWGB, states, “Develop an elevator pitch to introduce yourself at events like the Tommy Thompson Center for Public Leadership, UWGB has. Practice that pitch. I do it with all my interns.”
There are many mistakes people make when networking. “Some common mistakes students make when trying to network are relying only on close friends and family instead of looking for opportunities to connect and build relationships,” Clampitt states. Since networking is a two-way street, taking the initiative is key. “Always introduce yourself to employers at the career fair or at networking events and ask them about job opportunities they have available,” Lundsten states.
After taking the leap and putting themselves out there professionally through networking, students can start to build professional relationships. There are many ways they can follow up to continue that relationship. “I will always follow up from an event with a coffee, lunch, or golf. It provides another opportunity to reconnect. It also adds that friend aspect into it, as what better way to hang out than with coffee, lunch, or golf?” Zimmerman states. Additionally, there are some virtual options for following up. “People can always send an email to follow up and ask to meet for coffee and talk more about potential job opportunities,” Lundsten states.
Building and maintaining professional relationships can benefit students as they pursue long-term success within their careers. “Seek out opportunities to connect and avoid being discouraged if something doesn’t work out. This is a numbers and connections game. The more people you connect with, the more likely you are to develop a good working relationship with someone,” Clampitt states.
Many students prioritize finding jobs and connections in college. These are a few strategies. The job market can be difficult, but these methods can provide serious assistance.