When I began my college journey, my mom told me a story about her relationship with one of her professors who guided her towards the job she works at today and who she still talks to on Facebook every now and again. “You have to build a network, Allison,” she told me (and has continued to tell me ever since). “That’ll get you a job.”
Certainly, I thought, there was more to getting a job than just “networking” (whatever that word meant), but there is truth in what my mother told me. Networking—building relationships and connections with people who can lead you to incredible opportunities—is just as important as any other skill or achievement you have written on your resume.
So when I began studying in a small private liberal arts college in a rural Southern town, I began to wonder: How do I create a network at such a small college in the middle of nowhere?
You’re probably wondering the same thing. Luckily for you, I’ve compiled a list of tips and ideas to help you get started on building your network when the options seem few and far between.
1. Understand the Power of Being a Big Fish in a Small Pond
A friend’s father told me this tidbit of advice years ago when I told him where I’d be attending college, and it’s been the best way to motivate and inspire me to build my network. Developing a network at a college in the middle of nowhere means that you need to stand out and make yourself known on campus.
While this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be the most popular person on campus, it does mean that you need to stand out in the minds of your peers (your professors, especially, at this time) as someone worth knowing.
2. Talk to Professors and Administrators
Ultimately, networking involves people, and talking to your peers will help you develop those relationships and connections that sometimes can lead to unexpected opportunities for you. Professors are also great people to begin to network with, so talk to them outside of class or during their office hours. Sometimes, professors even bring in colleagues or speakers to campus, both of which are perfect opportunities to ask questions, make statements or introduce yourself to begin building your network.
Talking to counselors and other administrators will also help you to grow your network. They are a bountiful source of connections and are there specifically to help you make and utilize those connections.
3. Get Involved
Involvement can mean a lot of things, but it’s a great way to get yourself into a new experience where you can build meaningful relationships that may lead to future employment opportunities.
Besides just extracurricular clubs and intramural sports, other ways to get involved include undertaking internships (this is especially cool if you can get one with a professor on campus), volunteering on campus or in the community (like at the local community garden or animal shelter), joining a committee (for example, I just joined my school’s Women’s Leadership Committee) and traveling.
This last idea is really great when you can befriend international students on campus or meet up with other kinds of people who all enjoy exploring an unknown place, because you all get a shared experience and a deeper connection to each other. Involvement shows that you care about issues and hobbies outside of your academic work, and your involvement in these areas may help land you a really cool, fun job or internship later on. You never know until you try!
4. Take Advantage of On-Campus Events
Schools organize potential networking events all the time, including forums, seminars, lectures and panels with professionals. In-person connections are where you first want to make yourself noticeable to future employers or admissions counselors, but the follow-ups with the people you meet are just as, if not even more, important. If you get any business cards, make sure to reach out and remind the person who you are.
The virtual connectedness of technology today makes keeping in touch a lot easier than sending snail mail or visiting a place in person. Social media can be used to connect with people, future jobs or graduate schools. By simply posting or tagging the company, school or professional in relevant posts or tweets, you show investment and interest in what that organization or person has to offer.
Emails are also often effective ways to keep in touch with future employers or professionals. One way you can reach out to your network connections is to send a message saying how interested you were in what they had to say at the event. Asking a question or two about any further information or involvement with the company or school also helps you stand out as someone to remember. You can even ask if there are any internships or potential positions opening up in the future, or you can ask for advice and guidance on how to enter into a career field.
The key point to remember about taking advantage of those on-campus events is showing interest beyond the event itself.
5. Make Networking Work for You
The word “networking” sounds incredibly formal, technical and intimidating when you first think about it; I know it sounded that way for me, but networking is not as hard to do when you’re honest and open about yourself with those people you want to make connections and relationships with. Just as you would try to make a friend in an informal way, you try to make a relationship that is more professional but still personable. Honesty, sincerity and friendliness go a long way in creating your professional network, especially when some resources found in larger cities are not available.
One last tip about networking that is important to consider: Try not to think about it so much. It’s definitely important to recognize a networking opportunity when you see one and to take advantage of that opportunity, but I’ve found that it works best to think about networking not as “networking,” but as just introducing yourself and speaking a little bit to someone about some common idea or experience.
It’s hard to know at this time where you’ll end up exactly, so developing a network when you’re in the middle of nowhere is especially important. It may seem difficult to do, but the fun thing is that you can get creative with how you network.
