Group of graduate students working together in front of a desktop

9 Networking Tips for Graduate Students

Building a professional network isn't just a good idea, it’s a critical part of investing in your career. The people within your professional network can provide you with different levels of support during the job search process. 
Post Date: 
Thursday, March 3, 2022

From sharing job opportunities and connecting you with other professionals, to practicing for interviews and proofreading application materials, connections can make all the difference. Don’t wait to build personal relationships with professionals – start networking in graduate school to get a jumpstart on your career. 

9 Networking tips for graduate students

Whether you’re pursuing your graduate degree online or in person, it’s important to make time to build these connections. If you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry. Just follow these grad school networking tips to lead you on the right path to creating and maintaining professional connections: 

1) Get involved 

Graduate school offers you the perfect opportunity to connect with others who are either already professionals in your intended field or are working their way towards becoming one. Whether it’s with classmates, professors, or experts in your industry, graduate school is a great way to build strong relationships with peers that can help you meet your educational and career goals. 

During your time as a student, you should do your best to get involved in whatever ways you can, even if that means stepping out of your comfort zone. One key way you can build out your network is by joining a club that is related to your program. This will help you build out close personal relationships with others in your industry and can provide you with plenty of new career opportunities. You should also keep an eye out for industry-related events on campus, as these can be excellent networking opportunities. 

students working together building a professional relationship

2) Take advantage of your region

While on-campus clubs and events are great for building out your network, they aren’t your only option. While in graduate school, you should do your best to take advantage of where your school is located and look into off-campus opportunities. If you do some research, you will likely find a number of local organizations and events that can be crucial in helping you network and progress your career. 

If you are someone who is still thinking about attending graduate school, it could be a good idea to do some research into whether or not the schools you’re interested in are located in areas where your industry is thriving. NJIT’s location makes it a great place to attend graduate school, as its short distance from New York City provides its students with many networking opportunities. 

NJIT’s location is a trainride away from NYC

3) Build relationships with your professors

Professors are not only a great source of knowledge for students, they can also be an excellent resource for building professional connections. Given their experience in your field, your professors have likely built out their own extensive networks throughout their careers. Becoming more familiar with your professors, and allowing them the time to get to know you better, can put you on their radar and make it more likely that they will think of you when opportunities come their way.  

students building a working relationship with professor

4) Ask questions and listen 

Feeling comfortable carrying on conversations with others is crucial when it comes to meeting professionals in your industry of choice. Be sure to ask lots of questions when networking with others in your field, as your peers can be one of your best resources. 

While asking questions is crucial, don’t allow the conversation to become one-sided. Remember that you’re trying to build a strong relationship with whomever you’re networking with – be respectful and try to show interest in them and their work. Be sure to listen closely, ask the person questions about themselves, and make it clear that you’re grateful for their time. 

Ask questions while networking

5) Do your research

Your time as a graduate student will present you with many different opportunities to meet with professionals in your industry. To make sure that you get the most out of these opportunities, prepare yourself properly and do some research before meeting with someone or attending a networking event. 

Taking the time to research the company a professional works at, or to look through their work history on their LinkedIn page, can go a long way. Preparing in this way will allow you to plan out specific questions that are tailored to who you’re speaking to, allowing you to make the most of the interaction. Some networking opportunities may only give you a brief moment to speak with someone, so come prepared and ready to impress. 

woman researching before attending a networking event or meeting with people

6) Assist the networking of others

Professional relationships, much like any other relationship, require work. You need to be careful not to take advantage of those in your network. It can be easy to let your professional relationships become one sided, with others aiding your career and you giving no assistance in return. 

You should always do your best to support those in your network. One easy way to do this is by familiarizing yourself with the career goals of your peers. That way, if you meet anyone during your own networking who may be able to help a peer reach their goals, you can offer to connect the two. Being active within your network is essential to building strong professional relationships.

networking graphic connect with others

7) Be prepared to pitch

Perfecting your self-pitch, although absolutely essential in networking, can take a while to perfect. You need to be able to communicate your skillset, your career goals and your personality in a relatively condensed manner, given that you only have so much time to make a first impression. Talking about yourself can sometimes be difficult, so be sure you take time to identify your strengths and your career interests before going into a networking event. 

Be prepared to pitch

8) Utilize your online presence

The web is an excellent place for networking being that it can connect you with professionals in your field from all around the world. Professional social networking sites such as LinkedIn are essential for any modern professional – ensure that you’re keeping your online presence up to date and know how to get the most out of your social networks.

It’s important to be presenting yourself as professionally as you can when crafting your online persona. Be mindful of what you post on both your personal and professional social media pages, as potential employers are likely to look into your entire online presence, and not just your professional profiles. Your professional profiles should properly highlight your career interests and your skill-set, while your personal pages should be used to communicate your personality. 

95% of Employers use LinkedIn for recruitment

9) Stay in touch

Now that you’ve made connections with those in your industry, you need to make sure you keep those connections strong. You should try your best to keep in touch with those in your network. Staying in contact with people will allow them to get to know you better – these individuals better understand your career needs and also be more likely to keep you in mind when opportunities arise.

Grow your professional network

Grow your professional network at NJIT

While pursuing a graduate degree at NJIT, you will have countless opportunities to network with a number of respected individuals in your field. Working towards a graduate degree at NJIT has the potential to open many doors for you and your career. Apply today and see where a master’s degree at NJIT can take you. You never know who you’ll meet.

Tagged: