Students tend to have a love/hate relationship with the term “networking,” which I would agree is a rather vague concept that might sound intimidating or awkward. In simple terms, all it means is meeting people in certain industries and staying in contact with them in a professional, respectful manner. It’s not usually your classmates or campus friends but cohorts in the workforce. They’re professionals you can check in with occasionally about industry chatter, news, career advice, opportunities, or updates. (For the record, I have produced several YouTube videos on this subject, and I would encourage students to view them.)

At one university where I spoke, a student asked me, “They tell us to network; what does that mean?” It was such an eye-opening question. To get into the weeds of networking, I would recommend reading The 20-Minute Networking Meeting—Learn to Network. Get a Job., by Nathan A. Perez and Marcia Ballinger, PhD. According to these experts, a whopping 70% of opportunities arise from networking. In other words? You get a gig because you know someone.

Enjoy