Networking played a crucial role for students entering an industry. Building relationships increased the likelihood of reaching career goals, and few professionals succeeded without support or guidance from others.
Forming connections opened doors to internships, jobs and professional growth. Sharon Park, junior business administration major, said networking helped students gain opportunities and insight.
“Networking is really important, especially for students, because it helps open doors to opportunities like internships and jobs. Many positions come from connections and referrals, not just online applications,” Park said. “It also helps students to learn more about their career paths and get real advice from people already in the field.”
Many students felt anxious about approaching professionals. Some worried about what to say or how to guide conversations, which limited their ability to build meaningful connections.
Michael Vass, junior accounting and creative writing double major, shared advice on making networking more approachable.
“[The advice would be] finding easy ways to do it, in a sense. For me, some easy ways are to connect with my classmates, especially in my major classes, because these are the people you could be with for a while, and then they might end up in the industry you want to be in,” Vass said. “Maybe you’ll run into work later, or they’ll have tried things that you might be interested in and have access to knowledge that you need to access.”
While students benefited from networking, experts said they should avoid common mistakes. Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, professor of communication and leadership studies, encouraged students to stay present during interactions.
“Although we have our phones with us [all the time], try to stay off of the phone while you’re making that first introduction, unless it’s something urgent and make eye contact. Even if it goes silent for a moment, try to feel comfortable in your own skin by politely wrapping it up, but always smiling at them and being grateful,” Pearson said.
Pearson also emphasized the value of personal connection in a digital world.
“I think that the best part of networking is that in a world where everything is online, [networking] is an interpersonal communication where you can talk face to face,” Pearson said. “It’s actually a great way to share, to support one another, give encouragement and to share your faith.”
Networking remained a key step in career development. Students who embraced these opportunities built relationships, supported one another and gained confidence as they prepared for professional life.
