The Importance of Networking
The Spring semester is underway, and companies are in the midst of hiring for internships and full time positions for the summer. It is the season of career fairs, networking, interviews, and figuring out your summer plans. Learning to put yourself out there into the community, meet with professionals and companies in fields you are interested is not an easy feat! It can feel overwhelming and you may not know where to begin. Luckily, Leeds has many resources to help you navigate the networking environment and put your best foot forward to meet others and begin making deeper professional connections.
Why Network?
Not only is networking a top way that professionals find career opportunities, but it is also a great way to practice your skills, learn about various career paths, gather advice from others, and grow your network. When I first started networking with professionals, I was hoping to learn more about various paths in finance to help me narrow my search of the type of job I was hoping to find after graduation. It was extremely valuable to me to learn from a variety of others about their path, what their day-to-day jobs entailed, and how they got to where they were. As I continued to learn more, I found that my confidence grew substantially, and I was able to further practice talking about my interests and the type of career path that I was looking to get into. I have formed valuable relationships and mentors through networking. Some things that have helped me include:
- Be prepared — often times, professionals are doing you a favor by taking time out of their day to try to be helpful to you. Come prepared by researching about the company, their role, and come prepared with questions. Bring a copy of your resume and a notebook to take notes.
- Be appreciative — send a thank you note letting them know how they were helpful to you.
- Stay in touch — staying in touch and reaching back out to those you have met with every so often will keep you front of mind and help to keep the relationship going. You never know when an opportunity may arise in the future.
Utilize Your Resources
- Career Fairs — Leeds career fairs are a great opportunity to meet professionals and start building a network of professionals in the community. It is also great practice to begin talking about yourself and learning about different types of roles.
- Mentoring Programs — The Leeds mentorship program is a great way to begin growing your network. Often times, mentors involved in the program are more than happy to introduce you to others in their network. All you have to do is ask!
- Forever Buffs Network & LinkedIn — Stay plugged into the Leeds community by creating a Forever Buffs Network account and following the Leeds LinkedIn page. This is a great way to meet and connect with Leeds alumni who are willing and able to be a resource to you.
In Conclusion
Although career fairs, informational interviews and networking can seem daunting at times, it can provide you a boost of confidence, growth, and connections to start you towards the career path you are looking for. Utilizing your Leeds community and the vast resources that Leeds provides can help you to take the next step!
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