Build a network as a student: If you are an international student planning to stay in the USA after completing your course to pursue a job then your networking system will help you a lot. Just like anywhere else in the world, in the USA too it’s all about whom you know. If you have prior 2 to 3 connections then it can help you to start with creating an extensive network.
Read the article further to know about the ways that can answer your question of how to build a network as a student in the USA!
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Tips that Will Help You Build a Network as a Student in the USA
Moving to a new country like the USA can be scary especially when you don’t have any prior connections or a network. It can be overwhelming but with efforts in the right direction, you can definitely reach a point where there are people that you know and also they know you. If you are an international student in the USA and want to network, then you can start doing so by using the tips that we have discussed below.
Cold-Emailing
You might have heard that when opportunities aren’t coming your way you need to create them for yourself. Cold-emailing is one such type of creating opportunities for networking. If you don’t know cold-emailing is a practice of emailing individuals who aren’t expecting your email.
People generally use cold email to seek guidance, make new professional connections, and get new opportunities. A well-crafted email can turn out to be a really great opportunity to connect with new people if they decide to take the conversation further.
Personal Connections Will Come in Handy
While networking students or graduates generally forget to leverage the connections that they already have which include their friends, family members, friends of friends, parents’ friends, etc. As there is already a sense of trust and bond students can easily shift the conversations from personal to professional topics.
The key here is that you shouldn’t burden them with the weight of your expectations instead just be okay if in case things do not work out in your favour. You might have understood through this that while networking you need to look for every opportunity even when you are outside doing shopping, basically you can make connections and network anywhere.
Also Read: How to Build a Network in a New Country?
Starting Early Will Reap You Benefits Later
It is always a better idea to start networking while you are still in college instead of waiting till your graduation is completed. This will reap you benefits when you start applying for jobs as it will be a lot smoother and quicker process for you. The reason behind this is that you will get a referral quickly and easily compared to if you start networking after graduation as people will usually hesitate in referring a person they have started interacting with recently.
You would also be less likely to make mistakes because of all the guidance that you will get from networking and most importantly from the beginning of your career you will be on the right path.
Stay Active on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a social networking site designed for working professionals. Nowadays, hiring executives lay a lot of emphasis on your LinkedIn profile in order to gauge your expertise and authenticity. This site is not just useful for job purposes but also comes in handy when you are trying to network. Depending on your field you can send connection requests to people who have already established themselves as experts in this field.
Once they accept your request you can easily interact with them and network. Another way is to keep posting about subject matters related to your field which will help you to catch the attention of the professionals part of that field. It can turn out a great opportunity for you to grow your network.
Must Read: Networking: An Asset For International Students
Early Work Experiences Can Give You Great Opportunities
Students can make meaningful connections through their early work experiences like internships, teacher’s assistance and research opportunities. This position usually allows a student space to learn and make mistakes with utmost flexibility. During this time students can easily make connections by adopting a learning attitude.
The key here is that a student should always remain humble and should be courageous enough to interact with new people. While interacting always remember that apart from speaking you should also know how to listen patiently.
Participate in Societies, Events and Clubs During College Time
During your time in college to expand your networking area make sure that you do not restrict yourself to just your classmates and friends. A good way to interact with other students in the college who are pursuing different courses is by participating in various activities, events, societies and clubs. Here you will get plenty of opportunities to make friends and even make lifelong connections.
Make sure when you take part in such things that you participate with enthusiasm and also be ready to help and interact with people with genuine interest instead of having an ulterior motive of taking help in return in the future. If you are sincere and genuine enough then it generally comes across and people will appreciate this which will make them trust you.
Also Read: How to Network and Socialise for Success?
FAQs
Some effective ways through which you will be able to effectively network are:
– Ask questions and listen actively
– Make sure to increase your digital reach
– Present yourself well by feeling confident
– Don’t shy away from asking for help
– Be genuinely interested in helping people instead of doing things just to get help in return.
Start with building connections with the people you know already like classmates, mentors, friends or friends, etc. After that, you can start cold emailing people who are experts in the field in which you want to build your career.
The five pillars of networking are Educate, Serve, Build, Share and Follow-up.
We hope this blog answered your queries related to how to build a network as a student in the USA! If you are planning to study abroad then experts at Leverage Edu can help you throughout the journey. For booking the best accommodation abroad and start your study abroad experience you can contact Fly Homes at 1800572118.
