You are never too old or too young to learn how to network like a pro. The network that will refer you for jobs, introduce you to people and collate with you.

2020 is not a good year to pass out of college. You are stuck at home, you do not know if you will get a job or the job offer you have is still valid. It is a tough situation to be in. While there is not much you could do about the virus and lockdown, here is something you could do. Start building your professional network today.

I am not talking about Facebook friends and Insta followers; I am talking about the kind of network that will help you grow professionally. The network that will refer you for jobs, introduce you to people and collate with you.

At postgrad college, I spent most of my time in the library because I trusted my grades for accelerating my career. Learning from human interaction is much more than learning from the books and if I could give one piece of advice to my younger self would be to get out there. While knowledge is necessary but it the well built professional relationships that will take you places. And being an introvert is not an impediment to networking. You do not have to bring a 360-degree change in your personality to become good at networking.

So, how do you begin?

Step 1: Overcome the fear of networking

Step 2: Recommend others in your network

Step 3: Maintain long-term professional relationships

Here are some suggestions that will make you a pro at networking:

● Be proactive. Look for opportunities to interact with your classmates, seniors, and professors. Attend seminars, events, and activities even if it is not of your interest or department.

● Be genuinely interested in people and the work that they do. How? Listen when others are talking and ask questions. Being curious about others is an effective way to start conversations.

● Offer help without expecting anything in return. Mutually beneficial relationships are built on trust and goodwill for each other. A good way to earn goodwill is to selflessly help people.

● Do not dismiss people. Everyone you interact with has the potential to help you in one way or the other. So, treat everyone like that they are important because they are.

● Be in constant touch with your network by asking for feedback. Send a Whatsapp message or an email of your latest project and ask for their opinion. This is a good way of staying in touch rather than sending Whatsapp forwards.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article above are those of the authors' and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of this publishing house