September 10, 2020 | By: Rhett Rivera
While nothing quite beats connecting with people in person over a cup of coffee, the global pandemic means we have to adapt.
On the bright side, digital networking is a necessary skill, and now you have no excuse to neglect it. There has never been a better time to learn how to network from the comfort of your own home.
“But how do I get started?” you might ask. Without further ado, I present to you 3 different ways you can start expanding your digital network today.
1. Take Advantage of LinkedIn
You probably knew this was coming. There was no way I was about to write an article about digital networking and not include the largest professional network in the world.
While it is an obvious networking tool, many students let their LinkedIn profiles gather dust. They don’t post, make connections, and they let their profiles die.
Instead, if you want to get the most bang for your buck, you’re going to want to be as active as possible.
Whether it be sharing a graphic you created for a school project, sending a personalized connection request to an old coworker, or simply just slapping a “like” on someone else’s post, you want to be active in order to attract others into your network.
2. Join Titan Public Relations
If you didn’t already know, CSU Fullerton has its own virtual, student-run PR firm, Titan PR, and it is the perfect place to create professional and personal relationships.
As a transfer student with no experience in PR, applying for TPR ended up being the most important decision for my college career. Not only did it provide me with my first taste of hands-on experience, but I also made solid friendships with the students on my team.
Furthermore, it helped me build relationships with the executive board members in the class, which inspired me to run for a position on the executive board myself.
All in all, I couldn’t recommend TPR more.
3. Attend Virtual Events
This semester, there are numerous virtual opportunities that you can take advantage of. You can sign up for workshops, panels, and career tours, all from the comfort of your own home.
By simply showing up, you are strengthening your network. All you have to do is follow up.
If you attend one of our biweekly virtual panels, for example, afterwards, you should send our panelists a request on LinkedIn. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself and start a conversation.
It goes far to put yourself out there. Established PR professionals were once in your shoes, and love seeing students show initiative.
If you are diligent about following up after attending virtual events, your network is going to expand at a rate you couldn’t imagine.
Now put yourself out there and get to networking!
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[…] But let’s say you already knew that. Where do you get started? Well, first off, you can start by reading the blog post I wrote to answer that exact question. […]
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