We’re in the age of free self-promotion, so the best advice I can give is – use it. Virtually every School, Course and Society has a social media presence and there are thousands of people who are willing to get experience through helping others. Connect with everyone and anyone who can teach you or even work with you – maybe they have posted something of interest on a Facebook page, would it really be the end of the world if you dropped them a message and they didn’t respond?
If you haven’t already, check out Part One for my first couple of tips on networking at university.
Use your resources (Facebook wasn’t just invented for procrastination and meme’s.)
If you’re not on LinkedIn, then you need to get on there as soon as you have finished reading this. Don’t be put off because of your CV – it’s about enabling yourself to connect with people who may be able to help or inspire you. Maybe you‘ll connect with the person who’s responsible for employing graduates in the company you want to work for?
Use other social media to promote yourself as well, if you’re offering a product or service then make sure you have a page set up on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn. A fantastic hub of skills within the university is The Creative Network you can advertise jobs that you need help with or even promote your own skills for others who need them, I feel that there is not one course that shouldn’t make the most of this resource.
What can you offer them? (No, a box of Thornton’s wasn’t what I had in mind.)
You’re young, talented and driven, so remember that you can get a lot by giving a little. When networking with an organisation or even fellow students and asking for help, approach in a way that offers the other party something in return. Remember, all the people who can help you within university probably need some help as well. You never know you could be more of an expert than them. Act, model, fill out surveys and create if you have to, help others and they will be willing to help you. Think outside the box.
Look out for part 3!
- Topics
- Networking
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