There are so many opportunities available for students who want to develop their professional networks that it might almost feel too easy to show up to a networking event or tweet at someone and feel like you’ve made a new contact.
Building these connections, however, takes more than just attending the right events; if ignored, once-valuable contacts can easily fade away as if you’d never met. For students, it is essential to take the right steps in ensuring that a network remains strong, both while in school and beyond.
1. Grab Some Form of Contact Information Upon First Meeting
Before you walk away from the conversation with a new professional contact, whether it’s online or in person, always ask for a business card, an email address, or another online profile where you can connect.
Remember: You want to be able to turn online connections into regular, in-real-life ones, so by having multiple forms of contact, you’re putting yourself in a better spot. Plus, most people are more receptive to one form of communication over others, so figuring out which one that is can be crucial to maintaining a professional relationship.
2. Get in Touch Within 24 Hours of Meeting
A first impression is great, but your second impression is honestly just as valuable. If your connection has handed over his or her information to you, it is now your job to initiate and maintain the conversation.
Do this by sending an email (use our template here!) within a day of having met each other. Remind the person quickly where you met and add a note of what struck you as interesting from your conversation. You don’t want your connection forgetting about you or losing whatever initial interest that might have made you memorable.
This would also be the perfect time to set up an in-person meeting, if that’s possible. Again, it’s important to get those face-to-face interactions if you can help it; if you’re looking for some quick advice, even a Google Hangout or Skype session works!
3. Make Sure to Check in at Least Every Three to Four Months (If Not Sooner)
You definitely don’t need to be checking in every day or week (that’s so much work!), but it’s important to maintain a steady stream of contact with all of your connections. Follow them on social media and interact with their posts by leaving thoughtful and relevant comments. Sending the occasional “how are you?” email is a great way to keep you on their radar.
This is also an essential step to take if you wish to reconnect with old contacts made in previous years, especially earlier in your college career.
Take some time today and get in touch with those connections you may not have talked to in a while, and prepare to keep your network strong. Valuable relationships are tough to come by sometimes, so be sure to cherish and develop them with intention.
