Young students ordinarily seek counseling about which course or stream to prefer to have a conducive future ahead. Counselors and teachers also guide students on what to do in their lives to be flourishing. But no one tells them about one thing which is most crucial nowadays for your professional life. School children have no conception of what I am addressing. Even some college students are not cognizant of it. When it comes to employment opportunities, they get to know about this and it’s too late for them. I am talking about networking about which I guess you haven’t heard too much in your surroundings. In college, some students underestimate the significance of fostering connections with your seniors, classmates, and juniors. Networking is equivalently important as procuring experience and degree. Creating a professional network will let you access more efficient job opportunities leading to a flourishing future ahead. And the fact is the sooner you start constructing a network, the sooner you will be approached by more potential recruiters, gaining additional knowledge and skills which will let you stand out of the crowd. 

Does networking just help you in your career only? 

Does networking just help you in your career only? 

Networking is not about just making temporary connections with a job or business deals. It is about building professional connections for a longer period of time. From our experiences, we have observed that such long term professional relationships usually get transformed into social friends also. 

Three reasons in favor of networking 

1. Knowledge of your field: creating a network with people who are already in the fields in which you are aspiring to give you a handful of knowledge of experience that can benefit you before heading into that field. You might be able to capture a good job through this knowledge and experience. 

2. Exchange of fresh ideas: Everything is dynamic in this world so is your field of interest. You need to be well driven by these changes. So, if you miss any update then how will you nourish yourself? In this case, your network can help you by exchanging all relevant information and fresh ideas in that industry. 

3. Referrals: While doing an internship, what your employers want you initially is to bring more people to their company as a customer. In professional language, it is known as ‘Referrals’. Your networks are going to be very useful at that time. 

How can you do networking? 

It is a fact that we all are doing networking since we were born. We all are building relationships by having fun with our friends or with professors through discussions. Professional networking starts when you are implanted in internships. There you meet dignified personalities from the industry and they will introduce you to industry veterans. In social networking sites, your network is your followers. Similarly, you need to create a list of followers that is not printed anywhere but only in your professional space. If you go to any formal event or any conference or any competitions, try to talk with people professionally and make them feel that you are really interested in them. If any of them give you a business card or something else, email them a thank you or follow them on LinkedIn or Twitter which will show your gratitude towards them. In this way, you can also remain in contact with them.