College students are (or should be) focused on successfully completing their four-year degree. But in the midst of homework, tests and having a social life, sometimes college students forget to make networking a priority. Networking is super important, and it offers you the chance to make valuable connections that may lead you to finding an internship (or even your first real job).
Marymount University’s close proximity to Washington, D.C., allows for endless opportunities to connect with busy, working professionals! Here are some ways to start building your network as a college student.
1. Network by attending your college’s events
If you’re a college student in the national capital region, you should definitely make great use of what the city has to offer. Washington, D.C., is an excellent place to meet people and build a network. Based on your field of interest, you should attend events to connect with professionals and other students. Take a break from the college environment, dress appropriately, be prepared and attend an event of your interest. After the event, make sure you stick around and start getting connected with the people that you meet.
2. Secure an internship — and take it seriously!
You’ve probably heard this before, but an internship is a really great way to get your foot in the door of eventually landing a permanent job post-graduation. It’s also a good way to meet people and get connected to other career opportunities. You should take your internship seriously and exceed expectations to make yourself memorable to the company, as they are likely to hire individuals who display a high commitment and strong work ethic.
3. Reach out to faculty and staff
Connecting with faculty and staff may lead to great recommendations and assistance in finding campus jobs, internships and full-time jobs within or outside of the Marymount community. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by sending a friendly email and asking to arrange a time to casually meet and chat about your career path. Also, be sure to take advantages of the resources that the University’s Center for Career Development provides.
4. Connect with your company on social media and network online
If you have a particular company you are interested in, follow them on social media and subscribe to their newsletters to become well-informed about events, job openings, etc. If the company has an event, attend it, bring your résumé and impress them with your knowledge about a particular field that is of interest to them.
Here at Marymount, we want to emphasize that there are lots of ways to start networking — and it’s never too early to start! We encourage you to take advantage of the resources we have to offer and start building your networking skills!
