In this article, our experts, Karl Craft, associate director of the CDS, and Chris Young, employer relations coordinator in the College of Arts and Sciences, will share practical networking tips and information about the ways we support our students to make informed career decisions and prepare for their future.
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- Six Tips To Build and Maintain Your Professional Network, According To The Experts

# Six tips to build and maintain your professional network, according to the experts

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Wednesday, Mar 20, 2024

#### Strategies to help you develop enriching professional relationships.

Networking is powerful. While in college, the connections you make can be just as important to your future success as the knowledge you acquire in the classroom. Through networks, you can seek career guidance, get connected information and resources, gain industry experience and land opportunities. Several reports show that nearly 80% of jobs are filled through personal and professional connections.

At a basic level, we all understand the importance of networking, but for many of us, the concept of building a robust network and properly maintaining it may seem overwhelming. These efforts can be especially daunting to adult learners who juggle various responsibilities on top of their education. While broadening your network does take some strategy, it does not have to be stressful, and you may already be ahead of the curve with your existing connections.

If you’re looking to learn more about how to navigate networking, the career experts in Rider’s Career Development and Success Center (CDS) office can support you.

In this article, our experts, Karl Craft, associate director of the CDS, and Chris Young, employer relations coordinator in the College of Arts and Sciences, will share practical networking tips and information about the ways we support our students to make informed career decisions and prepare for their future.

### How to network in college

##### 1. Establish your career and networking goals

In any arena, to get the outcomes you want, creating a plan is key. With networking, it’s especially important to know what you hope to achieve by making certain connections. But how can Rider help you get started with identifying these goals? Our career experts, Craft and Young share how:

To help students determine their networking and career goals, the experts say internships are key, not only for resume building and career development but to give students real insights that will help map out future choices.

##### 2. Build an online presence

In some instances, your virtual presence is a person’s first introduction to you. This means it’s just as important to make a good impression online as it is in person. Our experts note that while networking sites like LinkedIn may appear to be just another social media platform, it is an effective tool that should strictly be used to share professional content:

##### 3. Create an elevator pitch

An elevator pitch is essentially a 30-second commercial all about you, and if done right, it can make a life-changing first impression. According to Craft and Young, here are key elements to take into consideration when writing your elevator pitch:

##### 4. Attend relevant industry or networking events

From career fairs to industry nights with panels and networking, Rider’s CDS office drives conversations around real-world working experiences while helping students connect and reach successful opportunities themselves. The experts share this advice:

##### 5. Make good use of your connections, old and new

Most adult students don’t take into account how their extensive life experience, workplace skills and knowledge and existing contacts can benefit them while on the path to earning a bachelor’s degree. Our experts share this about maintaining existing connections:

Taking into consideration that many non-traditional students work full-time and handle other responsibilities that keep them from being more active on campus, this is how Rider helps not only adult learners, but all students, navigate building new connections:

##### 6. Stay in touch

Now that you have an idea of how to build a network, how can you sustain these relationships and make them work for you? According to the experts, one of the ways students can simply, but effectively, keep their networks engaged is by using LinkedIn:

#### Find your network and earn your degree at Rider

At Rider, we help you build lasting connections with people who want to see you succeed. We believe that networking not only enhances your career prospects but creates a personal support system that will help you while you’re earning your bachelor’s degree and beyond. Through our various academic, career, financial and social resources, our community will keep you encouraged and supported along the way.

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