Networking 101
“You have to network to be successful in business.”
I heard this often once I transferred into San Jose State’s business program. Almost all my professors were telling me to network. It felt like I was being thrown into the deep end of a pool because I was that clueless about how to network. I still don’t think know if I’m doing it correctly, but I want to address one really important point:
You don’t have to lose yourself through networking.
When I first got started in networking, it felt like a huge commitment. Every time I attended a professional event, my heart was beating incessantly from nervousness (Are there any other introverts out there reading this?). When I mustered up the courage to talk to someone it felt like I was acting. This was especially the case during job fairs and club rushes. It felt like I was trying too hard to be impressive. Obviously, this was probably a huge turn off. Also, it most likely wasn’t a good first impression because I didn’t get any internship opportunities or interest from recruiters.
At the time, networking felt superficial and felt like a huge burden on my social anxiety. I was trying too hard and pushing myself way out of my comfort zone. I thought that the only way to progress in networking was to feel really uncomfortable with it. Sure, that may be the case when you’re trying to grow in other areas, but it wasn’t until much later that I realized that networking doesn’t have to feel so uncomfortable. I learned that genuinely getting to know another person, being yourself, and having really interesting conversations with them will create a solid network.
Here are some general rules that I have for networking, which are in line with my personality and values:
- Having at least one conversation to remember a person by,
- Making genuine connections with individuals, and
- Being yourself.
In terms of adding individuals on LinkedIn, I generally follow the same rules because I believe connections are as valuable as the time you put into them. So, individuals who attempt to connect with me without writing a note may not be added, especially if I haven’t talked to them before. For me, connections have to be with an individual I can remember having a conversation with. One of my professors mentioned before that research shows that individuals who are loosely connected to you will help you get a job in the future. Sure, this may be true, but for me networking is more than superficial connections, they are people on the opposite side of the screen who all have interesting stories. So, take your time with networking and get to know the individual behind the screen rather than being blinded by their job role.
Speaking of being blinded by job roles, some alumni from my college have mentioned before that superficial connections can be easily perceived. Individuals can feel when they are being spoken to individuals who want something from them. So, be sincere in your connection with another and get to know these professionals and as a result they may be willing to help you later on. You too, should be willing to reciprocate their kindness in the future.
These are some ways I approach networking, which are, by no means, the right or only way to network. There might be another way that feels more natural and comfortable for you. Please feel free to adjust your own approach and let me know your opinions on how to network.
