5 networking and mentorship tips for online students
Written by Michael Feder
Reviewed by Jessica Roper, MBA,听director of Career Services at 澳门天天彩开奖记录
Networking isn鈥檛 just for business professionals. Even before earning a diploma, students can begin building a network of peers and contacts. This can help you connect with other members in your industry and potentially help you find job opportunities after you graduate.
Estimates put as much as as being hired because of networking, even though into networking in the industry.
Creating and maintaining a network is important for all students, no matter your field. It can be especially significant for students in areas like听business听and听human resources听(HR), where you鈥檒l need听skills in communication, leadership and personnel management.
Networking will look different for each student. It might require a nuanced approach, particularly if you鈥檙e studying online rather than attending classes on campus. Many remote students use the LinkedIn庐 website as a professional social media site to connect with others without ever meeting them in person.
How is networking different when studying online?
Online students need to find a different approach to networking. In many ways, networking can be easier when you鈥檙e studying in person, since you might share a classroom with peers or other contacts you want to add to your network. While learning in person, you can easily interact with other people with the听same study habits, skills and career goals.
While there鈥檚 no replacement for in-person interactions, studying online presents its own opportunities for effective networking. For example, you can likely connect with more classmates through virtual message boards and virtual events听than if you were in person.
Networking remotely is all about intentionality. It鈥檚 important to make time for it if you鈥檙e studying online, even if virtual conversations feel forced or artificial. Like in-person networking, virtual networking can help you when the time comes to look for a new job or opportunity.
How to engage in professional networking as an online student
Not sure how to approach like-minded professionals as an online student? Here are five tips to keep in mind!
Present yourself professionally
Presentation is one of the first things that potential network contacts will notice about you. Even if you鈥檙e remotely networking with other contacts, it鈥檚 important to present yourself in a professional manner. This means dressing appropriately, using professional photos for social profiles and using language that appropriately conveys your interests and abilities.
Here are a few more details on how to present yourself professionally, even online:
Many aspects of your industry might change听
- Work hard:听Demonstrate your ability to accept responsibility and complete tasks through a disciplined, hardworking approach听to any project.
- Follow through on commitments:听Continue working on projects until you鈥檝e completed them and make sure you鈥檙e proud of the quality of work you deliver.
- Refrain from complaining:听Don鈥檛 denigrate people, previous work experience or your industry. Instead, demonstrate a diligent approach to your work regardless of the challenges you might face.
- Maintain a professional image:听Use professional headshots and other images on professional social profiles, and听dress professionally听during video calls.
- Know your audience:听Tailor your interview responses, social media posts, online messages and other content to your audience. Use terms they will understand and concepts that fellow students will want to comment on.
- Stay positive:听Even when things don鈥檛 go your way, keep an optimistic outlook. Your network contacts will notice how your upbeat demeanor creates a positive work environment, one they likely want to be a part of.
Many aspects of your industry might change regularly, including your company鈥檚 products and services, digital touch points, branding, messaging, team size, compensation packages or other variables. Stay attentive to your industry as you grow more experienced, and be sure to keep your network up to date as things evolve.
Be reliable
Reliability might seem like a simple characteristic, but it often separates veteran employees from people who might have trouble advancing in a particular field. Demonstrating reliability can make a big impression on your classmates and positively contribute to your network.
While it is especially critical for anyone in an HR role 鈥 since you鈥檒l directly influence other employees 鈥 reliability is important for students looking to enter virtually any field. Fortunately, there are many ways to exhibit reliability in an academic environment.听
Make sure your teammates know you can be counted on in group projects. By accepting and following through on your responsibilities, you'll develop a reputation as a reliable team member. Organizing a study group can also help, particularly if you've compiled study materials for the group.
Stay active in online discourse
As a student, networking requires more than passive participation in a class or course. You鈥檒l need to contribute actively to online discourse. Lending your voice, opinions and insight to an online conversation helps establish you as a thoughtful individual who might attract peers to join your network.
Staying active in online discourse also helps other students remember who you are, even after the class concludes. If fellow students have questions about the class or the coursework 鈥 or they want to connect with you after the class has concluded 鈥 they can return to your online conversations and find your contact information.
To network online, you also want to seek out virtual events. When attending virtual networking events, you are more likely to find like-minded individuals who are also interested in professional networking.
Remain in contact with instructors
In addition to their responsibilities as educators, some online instructors also have years of experience in their industry. These same听instructors can be valuable network contacts听after your classes end, particularly if you impressed them with your skills and study habits.
Keeping in contact with instructors can help you build rapport and possibly gain a mentor. After classes conclude and you graduate from your online learning program, keep in touch with instructors who helped further your education. These instructors can serve as valuable mentors no matter where you are in your career.
Staying in touch doesn鈥檛 need to be complicated. Consider sending your instructors a regular career update as a 鈥渢hank you鈥 for their role in your education. You can also forward relevant business materials their way or ask for their advice when your career reaches a crossroads.
Even if it has been years since you last spoke with one of your instructors, don鈥檛 be afraid to start new conversations. Reestablishing contact can help you obtain new insight or simply add more people to your growing list of network contacts.
Interact with university social media
Your university鈥檚 social media pages can provide a wealth of information, including updates on school details, alumni programs and new courses worth your time. Fully remote students can also find value here. You can use school-related social media to interact with students in your class and keep in touch after the course.
You can also听share new ideas and gain feedback听from other students on any industry-related challenge. If you鈥檙e unsure which social media platforms your university uses, the admissions department can likely help.
Between social media and professional networking platforms, the online world is full of opportunities to connect. The trick is to leverage each opportunity to your fullest advantage, all with an eye toward professionalism and career enhancement
LinkedIn is a registered trademark of LinkedIn Corporation and its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and its Writing Seminars program and winner of the Stephen A. Dixon Literary Prize, Michael Feder brings an eye for detail and a passion for research to every article he writes. His academic and professional background includes experience in marketing, content development, script writing and SEO. Today, he works as a multimedia specialist at 澳门天天彩开奖记录 where he covers a variety of topics ranging from healthcare to IT.
ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Jessica Roper, 澳门天天彩开奖记录 director of Career Services, is a seasoned leader with over 15 years of experience in leadership within higher education. She has honed her expertise in student services and career development and is passionate about helping others discover and refine their skills.
This article has been vetted by 澳门天天彩开奖记录's editorial advisory committee.听
Read more about our editorial process.
Read more articles like this:
