How to network in college?

[Anonymous]

.....go to College. Meaning, go to class, parties, lunch and meet people. Date. Go out with your roommate/suitmates and meet different kinds of people. Stay friends with them. Boom, there's your network (and by default, the network of the network). It should be natural, not forced or a "how to."

I mean do you start a new job and immediately ask people what their LinkedIn is? Come on now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think if he approaches social interactions as primarily transactional he’s going to get a response that aligns with his approach. I would start with normal college kid things like joining clubs and having fun

This! Networking is natural. In club sports, Greek life, ECs.

Don’t push it - you will be annoying and no one will want to be with you.

This.

[Anonymous]

It's not difficult. Show up reliably. Go to club meetings. Show up for events. Attend parties. Go to class. Meet with your professors. And don't be a jerk. People react well to genuine interest and kindness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Be cool. Don't be, like, all uncool

1. Be attractive
2. Don’t be unattractive

1. Be cool
2. Don’t be uncool

[Anonymous]

Clubs
Activities related to major (when that’s known)
Don’t have a “what can you DO for me” mentality

And have some FUN!!!

[Anonymous]

I’m confused as to how other people know he is networking? Does he announce it? That would be very strange. The idea of college is to meet new people and form genuine connections. After 4 years of building relationships, he will have plenty of contacts! But his reason for getting to know people should be about…well getting to know them, not using them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused as to how other people know he is networking? Does he announce it? That would be very strange. The idea of college is to meet new people and form genuine connections. After 4 years of building relationships, he will have plenty of contacts! But his reason for getting to know people should be about…well getting to know them, not using them.

Like Michael Scott “I declare bankruptcy “

[Anonymous]

Is he NT? He must be coming across as weird.

[Anonymous]

Anyone purposefully trying to network as a college freshman is 100% coming off as a weird striver. My kids would have zero tolerance for OP's son.

[Anonymous]

Make friends for the sake of making friends. That is your network. It sounds like he is trying to force interactions to use people, and that’s just going to give him a bad reputation.

[Anonymous]

My son is a freshman. We told him he needed to join some clubs to meet people. He wasn't the most active kid in high school and didn't join any clubs at all. He did play sports. He made the rounds at the club fair and ended up joining a couple of clubs. He tried for another and didn't get it. They are all "business" related. The exist for social opportunities and for networking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If he is trying to join the professional frats, I think he may have better luck after freshman year. It seems a lot of that has to do with who you know and you can't know too many people after just 3 weeks of classes.

The investment clubs are brutal. Often it takes a few years to get into one. You just need on club to start the ball rolling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a college student, how do you go about building a "network" so that it will be helpful for you once you graduate from college? My DS recently started his first semester at University of Michigan, and he is attempting to build his "network". However, he ran into quite a few people who made it clear to DS that this is not possible unless he brings something unique to the table. Otherwise, DS should not be bothered. Is that how it works these days?

You answered your own question.

That's how networking always worked.

[Anonymous]

Your son sounds awful.

[Anonymous]

Be interesting without looking like you're trying to network.