Networking And Volunteering Is Key For Career-Minded. College Students And Graduates
What better way to spend your time than with networking and volunteering? It sounds like a win-win situation for everyone involved.
Networking is about building relationships with other people. Doing so can provide you with valuable connections in the future, whether it's for an internship, job, or even just meeting someone new. It's important to have a solid understanding of what you are willing to dedicate your time to before you contact anyone. Keep in mind that networking takes time and effort.
Volunteering also takes a lot of time. However, it can result in valuable experience, both personally and professionally. Volunteering is a great way to help others while also showing employers that you are willing to give back to your community.
Overall, both are helpful skills to have and provide the opportunity for you to build relationships with people who share similar interests or careers as well as give you relevant experience for potential future job opportunities.
Networking is a great skill to develop, and it can lead to many different benefits. It's important that you get the most out of networking in the long-term so that you can build solid connections with people who can help your career.
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College students and graduates need to understand networking with confidence if they want to gain experience and job opportunities during their post-graduation years.
In order for an intern or job seeker to be successful, they must be confident that they are able to effectively network. The key word in this statement is "confident". The first step to being confident is learning how to network.
So how do you network? Here's the simple answer: get involved and make it a habit.
There are different types of networking, depending on the situation and environment. Research prior to your networking event and begin gathering/communicating information about the event/company through social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn). If you are attending an event that is related to your education or field of study (e.g. alumni weekend), then try and attend events related to this industry or relationship group (e.g.: industry association memberships, volunteering opportunities). By connecting with those who are in the same industry or domain, you have an opportunity to start a relationship that can lead to possible future employment. Using the example above, if an alumna is in need of a nanny, she will most likely look at her network contacts for recommendations and potentially talk with one of her friends who is also a nanny to get more information/recommendations for potential candidates.
Next, use LinkedIn as your platform of choice; use it in combination with your other social media platforms (e.g.: Twitter, Facebook) to further engage with professionals in your field. LinkedIn has become a necessary tool for professionals aspiring towards higher level positions within their field or industry. It's important that you build your professional profile using LinkedIn by adding your expertise and skills, followed by the types of organizations you have involvement within.
By learning how to network, you will be able to expand your network of contacts, which can lead to more business opportunities and connections.
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Social media has transformed networking into a potentially effective tool for career growth. The proliferation of social networking platforms (e.g.: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) has given job seekers the opportunity to connect with people in a variety of ways: completely online via social media platforms and people around them; through face-to-face contacts, e-mails and phone calls; and in person at trade shows or conferences. By mastering the art of networking, college students will be able to tap into the potential of social media to achieve effective networking.
The first step in mastering the art of networking on social media is to understand how to properly present yourself online. Your profile is like your resume on digital steroids: it's all about connecting and communicating with people you want to network with. When you are using your profile, it's important that you use your most powerful communication skills since everything about you is now centralized into your profile, unlike a resume that can be tailored for a specific job opening.
One way college students can effectively network on social media platforms is through connecting with those who have similar interests. Connecting with others who share similar interests can not only open up new opportunities, but also expand your network. For example, if you are currently focused on an event that you very much want to participate in in the near future, such as a graduate school fair or job fair for alumni living in your area, be sure to check out other people who are attending the same event and connect with them online.
This is especially important for those interested in advancing their careers through networking and business. By using social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, job seekers can get a sense of what types of individuals they need to connect with to advance further within their field and achieve their career goals.
The next step to mastering the art of networking on social media is to develop successful strategies for engaging in social media communications. Just as you would in a face-to-face encounter, make sure you put an emphasis on being open, polite and direct with how you connect with others online. The key difference between actually meeting people face to face versus online is that you can get a sense of who they are and what they are looking for online. Therefore, if you want to get the most out of social media networking, think about what value or information you can provide to individuals based on their interests and goals.
The best way to ensure that your networking activities are successful is to have a plan in place (e.g.: a schedule for when to post, what types of messages you will share and who you will send them to). It's important not only to set up your social media profiles but also your business or event pages. By setting up a schedule for posting online, it can help curb the anxiety associated with connecting online by knowing when and where you are going to update your profile.
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Connecting with people on social media is just one aspect of effective networking. The ability to effectively network in person is another critical aspect if you want success after graduation. Although social media and networking are extremely popular strategies for connecting to professionals, it's still important to attend interactive events, such as career fairs or alumni weekend, in-person.
As stated above, you need the confidence necessary to approach professionals and other clientele in the workplace. If you feel uncomfortable networking with clients or employers over social media platforms, then there is a good chance that you won't be able to do so when it comes time for in-person networking. The next step towards mastering the art of networking is by learning how to approach people in person.
Building your self-confidence can be achieved through communication skills training and developing realistic career goals.
Conclusion
Effective networking requires a keen understanding of social media and the ability to effectively use the tools (i.e.: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and other social networking platforms) that exist to promote your business and career goals.
Tapping into the power of social media can be a great way to expand your professional contacts while also improving your career prospects. It's important to master both online and in-person methods of connecting with potential clients or employers. The good news is that there are many opportunities for students to network for social events, such as alumni weekends or career fairs; communication skills training can help you improve both your online presence and in-person networking possibilities.
http://www.networkingsuccesses.