Networking is important especially when you are seeking admission outside your comfort zone. And by that we mean, as an international student. Building a network is one of the most important things you gotta do while studying abroad and it is also the toughest one.
Connecting with different people helps you in various ways and it is not necessary to go out and socialize to create networks. You can do it sitting on your couch at your home. You might need some guidance but once you know how to do it, it will make your life a lot easier as a foreign student.
Why networking is important?
We are asked this question many times while working closely with entrepreneurs why networking is so important and is it only essential for business or tutees studying abroad or should everyone work on their networking skills quite often?
Here’s the deal, your field of study or work does not matter here, connecting with the world is generally important. That’s how you process. If we speak from our own experience then one thing we have seen in each international student during our interaction with them is that they have networks! Lots of networks! If you need help regarding anything, you can count on a foreign student. Even if you need assignment help you can go to them.
Eight tips to build healthy networks
So, if you are all set to fly abroad for further studies, you might want to know, how you can build a network in an international university. Follow these tips and see how it increases your connection in a short period.
Start from your university
Before you go anywhere else, start with your school or university because you can find as many connections as you want within your school boundaries. There will be more than enough people with whom you can create bonds and connect. Your interests might differ but that shouldn’t come in a way. Walk around, meet new people, exchange vibes, and expand your circle to let them in.
Join clubs and societies
This one is the fastest and easiest way to network. Don’t miss any social events in your institution. You can meet some incredible people throughout your journey. You can join a sports club, music society, arts, and cultural societies, literary societies, and anything based on your interest. It will assist you in finding people with the same interest as yours.
Academic advisers
Connecting with an academic advisor is as important as connecting with any other person. They don’t only help you understand your strength and to focus on your goal but also teach you how to achieve them. So basically, you partially depend on them. Plus, they also have connections and they can help you out finding a good job at any stage of your help.
Volunteer
You should start volunteering and keep it as a side hobby while spending your time as an exchange student. This is one of the best and finest hobbies one can have because you can expand your knowledge about different forums. Volunteering at any event does not only count as a plus on your CV but helps you to network and meet people from different backgrounds. So if you think, it’s just a waste of time then you are wrong because it’s not.
Participate
Remember you have joined different societies and clubs? You did not join them just to sit and watch them perform. Instead, get up and take part in anything that you think is interesting. The very first reason for participating, in any event, is because it keeps you in the limelight and secondly it creates a strong impression on your CV. But try to keep it professional. It’s good to develop skills along with networking.
Learn from professionals
The best way to learn anything is to learn it from professionals because no one can teach you better than them. These professionals can be your seniors, professors, lecturers. You are not supposed to do it on daily basis, but make it your habit and at least connect with 1-2 professionals every month. We think we don’t need to remind you that quality is important more than quantity. So even if your circle is small but smart, that’s okay.
Social media
Now this one is for the people who try to avoid social gatherings because they are introverts or find it hard to connect instantly. You can use your social media accounts for that matter. Yes, social media can be used positively and for business purposes rather than spamming strangers online. The credit of virtual gatherings goes to pandemic because everyone saw a great change in how we used to use social networks before and how we do it now.
Finally, people are learning and we couldn’t be happier and satisfied. Anyways, if you are hesitating to go out, you can join virtual groups and build your network. But don’t make it your habit because you can’t live like that for your entire life. You gotta get out of your shell at some point.
Maintain your connections
Moving onto the main point, for many people networking lasts until they find their desired job or they are done with their education. And that is not the right thing to do. It’s better to keep in touch with your mentors because you don’t know when you are going to need them again. Besides, this connection has to be selfless, you should not build connections just so that you can secure good grades, or take advantage of someone’s position for your sake. You should maintain a healthy and professional relationship with your mentors and networks outside of your institution too. It shouldn’t be as if you hired an essay writing service and forgot to acknowledge their effort afterward.
Summing it up!
If we combine all of the above-mentioned things it shows that a healthy networking habit can open many doors for you in the future. Apart from that, you might end up creating a great bond with these connections. It helps you to improvise and polish your personality in a way that helps you to stand out in a crowd. You are smart enough to know that in today’s world, the thing that matters the most is a strong personality. So, if you want to work on that you need to think out of the box and there is only one way of doing that, to Connect – Explore – And Learn!
