Ways to Network
It's a fact that 60 to 70 percent of full-time jobs come from networking. The problem is that many people don't know how to network properly, or maybe even what to do when you're networking. The first thing you should do is to talk with someone in your field, or with an organization that you are interested in getting an internship with. If you have not yet worked as an intern, you may want to consider applying for one, because 60 percent of internships result in a future entry-level job. A lot of networking can come from an internship. The reason is because you are working with employees of a company, you're meeting other people, and you may even be attending conferences or meetings that relate to your future career.
Besides an internship, a great way to network is to go to job or career fairs, and to city gatherings that are for people in your career field. If you have some business cards, take those and hand them out to people. If you have a really good conversation with someone, you may want to consider asking them if they have an internship program or are looking for an employee. These gatherings are a way for you to get your name out there, and it allows people to see who you are.
You will meet hundreds of people while you are in college, so be sure to keep track of those individuals who might be able to help you get a job when you graduate.
Excellent suggestions and observations!
We all know that one of the key foundations for relationship building is the ability to have a conversation. We all assume that we know how to have a conversation, since many of us have been talking since long before we got out of diapers.
I just wonder if we have mastered the art of conversation . . . are we able to play catch, or are we juggling?
What do you think?
http://carterfsmith.blogspot.com/2008/03/do-we-really-need-to-know-how-to-have.html
I personally think that you can always perfect something when it comes to conversation. With so many different types of individuals in our world, we have to learn how to interact with their different styles, so that they understand the point you are making. Sometimes it's easy to start a conversation with someone, and other times it's not. Although someone may be a great communicator, I think they always have something they can work on or improve.
Do today's new college students know that conversations are so important? Sometimes it's like pulling teeth to get a finished thought :-)
I think a lot of students go into college thinking they know how to have an effective conversation, but then they realize that they actually have a lot to work on. I had some professors who constantly asked me questions and forced me to dig depper so that my thoughts were clear and thorough. Sometimes you will have to talk to someone you normally wouldn't, so that may require a different form of communicating in order to get through to them.