Why Networking Will Give You an Edge and How to Do It Like A Pro

It often comes down to who you know, not what you know.

It’s something you might not have considered in the lead-up to starting university, but networking is really important. 

Making contacts (and saving them for later) as you progress through your studies can open up a world of opportunities you might not have even known existed.

We'll get into those of course, as well as cover who you should connect with and how to network like a pro. Trust us when we say these are some tips you don't wanna miss!

If you need more advice about what uni might have in store, and how you can ace it, our Student Edge Plus pathway, ‘Ready, Set, Uni’ has everything you need!

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Who’s in a network?

Your network isn’t necessarily just people you’re using to further your study or your career—they are people you have strong relationships or at least share similar interests with, and with whom you could both mutually benefit from when it comes to * self-growth *.

So, before you even start uni, your network can include everyone from friends and family to people you work with at your part-time job. Even people you play sport with on the weekend.

Then, once you get to uni, it can extend to peers in your classes, tutors and lecturers, and members of groups you might join—like social clubs, professional organisations or volunteer groups.

And your network can exist online of course, too! People you’ve connected with on LinkedIn and even Twitter.

What’s in it for me?

Where to even start with this? So. Much.

Firstly, you can exchange ideas with other people, allowing opportunities to grow your knowledge and discover fresh new perspectives.

Networking makes you stand out to the right people. Showing your face at professional events or checking in with new acquaintances will raise your profile and could make you more visible to recruiters on the lookout for talent (which could mean more job offers!).

High-profile people in your network can not only help you overcome challenges, but they can give experienced career advice and guidance that's otherwise hard to come by. 

We could go on about the advantages of networking for a while, but lastly, it helps you build up a system of mentors to answer any question you might have. It'll be difficult to find one mentor that meets all your career needs and will be available every time you need them. So, by networking, you'll have a whole support system on call to help.

How do I start networking?

Okay, so we’re all on the same page about how beneficial networking can be, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy peasy.

Starting a conversation with a stranger does not come naturally to a lot of people (and can literally sound downright dreadful to some).

But there are ways to make it less terrifying! Like planning ahead with a few ideas or discussion points if you’re headed to an event or know you’re going to be in a situation where you could meet new people.

They don’t have to be super serious conversation starters—they can just be questions about the event itself to get the chat flowing and leave room to catch up again or at least swap contact details.

Speaking of contact details, we’re not saying you need to go and get snazzy business cards made up, but definitely be prepared so that you can pass on your phone number, email or social handles in a quick and seamless way.

Go forth and conquer fellow networkers! And if you need a helping hand getting ready for uni, don't forget we've got everything you need with our Student Edge Plus pathway, ‘Ready, Set, Uni’.