Networking On Campus
This blog post was written by Peer Career Ambassador, Aditya Agarwal ’22
If you go to Babson, you’ve probably heard that networking is a necessity since the first day of class. Nowadays, it is almost impossible to receive an interview for a highly competitive job at a prestigious firm without a referral, and networking has become a crucial part of the recruitment process. Here are a few tips on how you can make the most out of the relationships you form on campus:
- Follow Up – Oftentimes, students think making connections simply means adding someone they met at a career fair on LinkedIn and do not follow up with a thank you email or phone call. It is important to show interest in the company you want to work at and building a genuine relationship with an employee is a great start.
- Reach Out to Other Students – Look on Linkedln and Handshake for current Babson students that have interned or accepted an offer with a company in which you are interested. It is always good to reach out to students who have been through what you are experiencing, ask them any questions, and receive any tips. You can also simply connect with Babson students who are interested in the same industry as yourself to discuss certain topics such as trends in the industry.
- Network to Learn – Since the end goal of networking is to form authentic, mutually beneficial relationships, it is very difficult to force a connection with someone who you have no shared interests with. As a student, it is easier and more helpful to find people who you want to learn more about, whether it be their job, company, or previous experiences, and start a conversation to fulfill curiosity rather than force a conversation.
- Go to Office Hours – Students often underestimate how experienced their professors are. Taking the time to go to their office hours a few times a semester will really help forge a connection and mentor whose advice you can utilize in the future
- Extended Network – Once you end a conversation with someone who you recently connected with, ask them if they can connect you to anyone in a field or company who you would be interested in talking to. This will help expand your network reliably.